HaYidion: Cover of the Parents issue
How often have you heard the words “Jewish day school” and “fresh, organic produce” in the same sentence? When I was approached to chair the Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA) at the King David School (KDS), I jumped at the chance. A CSA is a relationship between a local farmer and the community whereby members receive fresh, organic produce delivered to them on a weekly basis. Most Jewish day schools sell challah each week to enhance the Shabbat experience and raise money for the school. The CSA sells fresh, organic produce to enhance our commitment to eat healthy and raise awareness of our partnership with G-d in caring for the earth and ourselves.
The enthusiasm I initially experienced for this program may have been selfishly motivated. Eating healthier and the exceptional taste difference I had experienced before from an organic co-op were strong motivators, as well as my desire to be a farmer and the fact that this was probably as close as I’d ever get. It is often our own, personal interests and passions that lead us to bring new ideas and expressions of Jewish values to our children’s education. In a Jewish community day school, parental interpretation of a school’s mission can bring added benefits and innovative programming to a school.
I did not realize the collaborative effort between our school and a local farm would gift me with a unique opportunity of involvement at KDS. The CSA program has enhanced the community and our connections to each other; it encourages healthy eating and is tied all together with Jewish values. In the fall, we will begin a formal educational component of our CSA through Tuv HaAretz, a CSA program of Hazon, a Jewish environmental organization. King David is the first Jewish day school to participate in this program alongside synagogues and Jewish community centers, and I am eagerly waiting for this next phase of the partnership to begin! ♦
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