At our most recent Senior Division Kabbalat Shabbat, students lit up with excitement when singing from their Siddurim. Students were eager to suggest their favourite tunes and renditions of the prayers. Regardless of the melody, the message remains the same. The traditional prayer Aleinu reminds us, our enduring purpose is לְתַקֵּן עוֹלָם בְּמַלְכוּת שַׁדַּי to repair and perfect the world around us. From generation to generation, Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam are core Jewish values and principles we nurture at Bialik and bring to life.
Tikkun Olam is not about a single good deed. Instead, we aim to foster in our students a lasting commitment to helping others. We embrace this philosophy of giving and helping consistently, repeatedly and in many ways.
Over the summer, two B’nai Brith Bubbies reached out to seek help securing enough protein-rich food for seniors in our community. We were eager to support this important need, but wanted the initiative to be student-led. We asked them to wait until class reps were elected so that the project could be fully owned and driven by the students.
Our incredible Student Councils at Himel and Viewmount met with their Vice Principals and staff supervisors to chat about how tuna is a simple, protein-rich food for seniors that we were confident our community could collect. During a lunch meeting, classroom representatives strategized not only how to collect cans but also how to promote the vital work of the B'nai Brith organization. Our student leaders became B’Nai Brith ambassadors, visited classes and crafted meaningful morning announcements to educate the community of the why behind their efforts.
Thinking outside the box, Student Council leaders chose to collaborate with House Captains to amplify this Tzedakah event and turn it into a school-wide house competition to encourage the greatest number of donations. Which House could bring in the most cans? Colourful bins with Israeli university logos appeared in the front office, and the stage was set for Bialik’s first ever Tuna Tuesday. Motivated to accrue house points, students from JK to Grade 8 eagerly brought in cans. And just like that, in one day our school community gathered an astounding 1257 tuna cans for a truly worthy cause!
Tuna Tuesday, while incredibly impactful, is just one example of how our students recognize real needs, problem-solve thoughtfully, collaborate with peers and lead by example to make a meaningful difference in the world around them.
Looking ahead, our calendar is already filled with meaningful, heart-warming initiatives our students have launched or will soon take part in:
- JK and Grade 8 students decorated Chanukah cards to be bundled with gelt and latke mix that will be gifted to seniors in the community.
- Grades 6–8 students will visit Baycrest residents for intergenerational learning and crafts.
- Grade 7 students will be naming a seeing-eye dog after successfully fundraising to support its training.
- Tuck Shop proceeds will support Magen David Adom and Israel Cancer Research.
- A school-wide Chanukah Toy Drive will benefit Chai Lifeline.
- Warm-clothing donations will be collected for Ve’ahavta to support individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Non-perishable food items will be collected for the North York Harvest Food Bank and Chasdei Kaduri.
- A Passover Food Drive will support the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada.
- Weekly Tzedakah is being collected for the Fifth Element Eilat Retreat to support those impacted by October 7.
Participating in these experiences allows our students to understand the importance of caring for others beyond themselves. In doing so, our students develop into compassionate leaders, cultivating empathy, a strong sense of social justice and a profound understanding of the difference they can make in the world around them.
Have you ever noticed that עָלֵֽינוּ is sung at the very end of services, just as everyone is about to head home? Much like a prep rally to energize the congregation to collectively do good, let us carry that same Tikkun Tuna Tuesday spirit forward to inspire many more positive actions to come. We are proud of our students, who transformed intention to action, and are thrilled that the school year is already off to such an impactful start. While Haifa University House claimed the first Tuna Trophy, we can’t wait to see which team will rise to the challenge next.