SDJA students Ron Bendor, Ed Caplan and Julien Bortz help load trucks.
San Diego, CA – January 24th, 2010 – San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA), a private school located in Carmel Valley, is commencing its SDJA Cares: Project Haiti drive on Sunday, January 24th, for victims of the recent Haiti earthquake. Five years ago, they garnered media attention by collecting over 30 tons of supplies in four days. The supplies were then flown to the victims of Hurricane Katrina on a jumbo jet donated by UPS.
Unlike many other organizations, SDJA is asking for supplies rather than monetary donations. During their Katrina Relief drive, SDJA gained valuable experience in managing the logistics and transportation of large quantities of donations, but more importantly, drives like this match the school’s core values and provide an opportunity for their students to help others.
Two core values of Judaism are Tikkun Olam and Gemilut Hasadim, which translated from Hebrew mean deeds of loving kindness and repairing the world. These core values are integral to an SDJA education, which is why the school is taking this opportunity to teach their students these values with action.
“After seeing the devastation that took place in Haiti, our school’s community took action and began organizing the logistics required to coordinate an event of this magnitude,” said Dr. Jeffery Davis, Maimonides Upper School principal and architect of SDJA Cares: Project Haiti. “Our plan is to fill five 18 wheelers full of donations and send it to a warehouse in Miami, Florida in preparation for transportation to Haiti.”
The school has seen an overwhelming response from parents and students. SDJA is planning to have the event last until Friday, January 29th, however SDJA Cares: Project Haiti could be extended if the level of donations exceed the scope of the drive. “If we receive more donated trailers, we plan to fill them. This is an opportunity to help people and educate our students beyond the classroom,” continued Davis.
A list of needed supplies and information about the event can be found on www.sdjacares.com. For specific drop off times, visit the SDJA Cares website or call Amanda Cohn at (858) 704-3718.
About SDJA:
San Diego Jewish Academy, one of the country’s premier K-12 Jewish day schools, challenges students to achieve their full academic potential and become individuals of strong moral and ethical character, while inspiring them to make Judaism a vital and relevant aspect of their lives.
For more information on San Diego Jewish Academy, visit www.sdja.com.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
