What Educators Are Saying!

Temple Sinai of Sharon

"The TELEM program has been a wonderful experience for our students for several years now due to the fact that not only does it give them a chance to become part of something that is bigger than just themselves, make the world a better place, help others to achieve a level of self sufficiency so as not to need assistance, but it does it all through a Jewish lens.  While many of the activities many not be exclusively Jewish in nature, they are done "Jewishly" through the help of both the JCRC's Social Justice curriculum as well as the curriculum of the particular track the students participate in."
Joshua Slovin
Director of Education

Temple Isaiah of Lexington

"Over the past year, short conversations about likes and dislikes have matured into longer discussion regarding life, family, hopes and dreams.  Informal games have matured into yoga classes, brainstorming sessions for larger projects, and plans for future group and fundraising events.  What has matured most over the past two years however, is the dedication of Isaiah's teens to fight for justice for individuals with special needs.  The teens have not only cultivated incredible and meaningful relationships, but they have been exposed to the notion that they can in fact make a difference in terms of social justice."
Lila Cohen
Educator, Temple Isaiah of Lexington

Other Educators

Many of my teens have opted to continue their volunteer services throughout the summer because of their enjoyment of the site. They are committed to change and to furthering their understanding of hunger and homelessness - and they are in 7th grade! I am always amazed that out of all of the teens I teach, there is rarely a teen that doesn't walk away tremendously affected by the program!
Anonymous

One of the more frequent comments I heard from our teens was their surprise at how "with it" the residents were. They began their service thinking they would be in a teaching or helping position. They all remarked that they learned more from the residents than they had anticipated. The residents also were surprised at how knowledgeable and helpful the teens were. Since one of the goals of the service was to bring the two age groups closer in an environment of mutual learning and understanding, it appears that our objectives have been met.
Anonymous

On our last visit to Coleman House this year we had a celebration Sium. The students sang, played a Mozart clarinet piece, and read poetry they had written as final assignments for the course related to aging. The seniors did an Abbot and Costello comedy act, one of the seniors, a published poet, read two of his poems, and one lady read a closing prayer. We ate cake provided by Coleman House and other refreshments. This was an overwhelmingly successful event, thoroughly enjoyed by the students and the seniors. A great end to the year.
Anonymous