Chesed & Community Service | Margolin Hebrew Academy

TIKKUN OLAM AT MHA

CARING IS PART OF WHO WE ARE

One of the fundamental principles of Judaism is concern for others and a sense of communal responsibility. At MHA-CYOS, chesed, acts of loving kindness, is not an extracurricular. It is a core part of who we raise our students to be.

Through service learning, community partnerships, and structured chesed programs in every division, students at MHA grow as caring members of their community and the broader world.

Our High School students complete structured community service hours each year. But the spirit of giving back begins long before high school — chesed is taught by example from day one.

MHA high school students at chesed fundraiser

HOW WE GIVE BACK

OUR CHESED PROGRAMS

High School Service

CYOS students complete 18+ community service hours per year through structured partnerships and self-directed chesed projects, building the habit of giving that lasts a lifetime.

Better Together / Memphis Jewish Home

Students visit and engage with seniors at the Memphis Jewish Home, building intergenerational connections and bringing joy to the elder members of our community.

Special Olympics Bowling

MHA students participate as volunteers and companions in Special Olympics bowling events, celebrating the abilities and achievements of athletes with intellectual disabilities.

NECHAMA: Jewish Response to Disaster

We partner with NECHAMA, a Jewish humanitarian organization, to help communities rebuild after natural disasters, teaching students that chesed reaches beyond their own city.

Le Bonheur & Jewish Family Services

Students volunteer at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and Jewish Family Services, learning firsthand what it means to support those in need in their own Memphis community.

CANstruction & Food Drives

Our annual CANstruction competition combines creativity with charity, students design structures made of canned goods, which are then donated to local food banks.

THE VALUES BEHIND THE WORK

MORE THAN VOLUNTEER HOURS

Chesed as a Way of Life

At MHA-CYOS, we teach our students that service to others is not a task to be checked off; it is an expression of Jewish identity. The habit of giving, built through years of structured programs and meaningful encounters, stays with our graduates long after they leave.

Teaching by Example

Our teachers, rabbis, and school leaders model chesed every day. Whether it's supporting a family in need, organizing a community event, or simply treating every person with dignity and care, the adults in our building show students what it looks like to live a life of kindness.

Building the Next Generation of Jewish Leaders

We believe that the students who leave MHA-CYOS will be leaders, not just professionally, but as people. Our chesed programs are one of the ways we ensure that every graduate carries with them a deep sense of responsibility to their family, their community, and to Am Yisrael.

MHA student with grandparent, chesed and community