What began as a Schechter Chesed field trip has grown into a meaningful friendship and a Bar Mitzvah project bringing generations together.
During a recent visit to Maot Chitim, Schechter student Izak ’28 met Lucy, a Russian-speaking Holocaust survivor. The two connected during the visit and have stayed in touch ever since.
Izak and his twin siblings, Jacob ’25 and Baila ’25, have also been volunteering with CJE SeniorLife’s Holocaust Community Services on Cooking Up Memories, an initiative that brings Holocaust survivors together to share cherished recipes and the personal stories behind them. The project aims to preserve survivors’ memories through a special cookbook while building connections across generations. The siblings have helped translate childhood recipes and stories from Russian into English.
Inspired by these experiences, Izak organized “Cook Up Memories,” an intergenerational challah braiding workshop held on November 1 in partnership with CJE SeniorLife. The event brought teens, including several of Izak’s friends, and Holocaust survivors together at Synagogue FREE, a Chabad congregation.
“We are the last generation that will be able to hear these stories face to face,” shared Izak’s mother, Anna. “This is a special moment in time where you can hear stories and give them a hug.”
Schechter’s Chesed Program provides the starting point, but it’s students like Izak who carry its impact forward. His initiative reflects the compassion, responsibility, and commitment to community at the heart of a Schechter education, where students are inspired to turn what they’ve learned into meaningful action.
