Block & Dreeben School for Young Children Students Learn About Tzedakah

December 1, 2021

Giving Tzedakah is an important part of the Shabbat celebration every Friday at The Block and Dreeben School for Young Children. The teachers encourage the children (2yrs and older) to bring coins to share with the less fortunate. Learning about Jewish values including giving Tzedakah is a special part of our curriculum for pre-k aged children.

Three times a year, one of our pre-k groups votes on an agency or organization to donate the combined funds. This is a multi-step lesson that engages the children to be lifelong philanthropists. As explained by Lisa Guerrero, Director of Early Childhood Services, “As a school, we collect

the coins each week, then I take the coins to the bank to exchange for dollar bills. I bring the paper money back to the pre-k classes and let them pass around the hundred dollar bills and count the money. They are very excited to hold $100 bills!

We then vote on the agency to receive the money and we send them a check or we deliver the money in person. I request a response letter from each agency that I then share with the classes. Last year, one of the organizations the children voted on was the San Antonio Humane Society to which we donated $355.60. The children loved the response letter with cute puppies and kittens on the letterhead and we watched the Humane Society’s video on their website. It is a great opportunity for children to see the process of donations all the way through the cycle. We will contribute to several agencies throughout the year.”