Students taught goodness at young age

The students at Heschel WesDay School celebrated the Jewish holidays of Tu B'Shevat and Purim with services, festivitiescelebrations, and "tzedakah,commonly translated as charityTu B'Shevat was celebrated on Feb. 13 as the Jewish New Year for trees. Trees are often planted on this day. The students at the school collected money for trees to be planted in Israel in honor of the holiday.

FESTIVITIES-Students enjoy the Purim celebration at Heschel West Day School in Agoura Hills last week. The holiday is a time not only to "eat, drink and be merry," but also to share the merriment with others through acts of kindness and charity. Purim was celebrated at Heschel West on March 14 as a festive day when students dressed up in costume and enjoyed the Purim carnival held at the school.

"This is a holiday where we are commanded to eat, drink and be merry," said Rivka Ben Daniel, director of Hebrew and Judaic studies at the school. She added, "The children are able to follow this commandment very well."

Also during this holiday, the students were "commanded" to send out food, drink, and/or gifts to the needy.

The school community donated food to area charities.

The Heschel West community regularly supports a local church which serves the needy in the Conejo Valley.

The curriculum at Heschel West focuses on secular education as well as Judaic education. Incorporating value-based Jewish education into the overall academic framework affords the students at the school a fully-integrated education.

Heschel West is a Jewish Day School in Agoura Hills opened in 1994. Currently, the school educates 218 students in grades transitional kindergarten through sixth grade. A seventh grade will open next year and an eighth grade in Sept. 2007.

For more information about Heschel West, please call Stephanie Levin, development coordinator, at (818) 528-7200.