Community Corner
Beachwood Patch Whiz Kid of the Week David Kaye
14-year-old is connecting to his Jewishness while on a class trip to Israel this week
Age: 14
School:
Accomplishment: David is currently in Israel with his eighth-grade class donating clothing to poor Ethiopian children who live there.
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Key to Awesomeness: Don’t break the Jewish chain.
It’s a phrase David Kaye has heard over and over from his teacher, and it has become a mantra for the way he wants to live his life.
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“It means, like, make sure you stay Jewish, you stay true to yourself, and your kids, your family, are all Jewish,” he said.
Jewish leaders around the world have been struggling with how to stem the shrinking Jewish population believed to be caused by assimilation and low birth rates, especially in the United States where the majority of Jews live. The number of American Jews declined by 300,000 in the last decade, according to a report by Haaretz Daily newspaper.
That’s why David’s taking a different approach. He’s right now in Israel as part of , a Jewish Community School, and its annual eighth-grade class trip. Part of the 17-day visit will be spent donating clothes he and his classmates brought with them to the poor Ethiopian children who live there. The rest will be spent on educational visits to museums and historic landmarks, as well as a little time for fun.
“The Red Sea is apparently a great spot for scuba and snorkeling,” he said in an interview a week before he left. “I’m interested in fish, and swimming is really fun. I’ve always wanted to try surfing, just all those ocean activities you hear about.”
David’s already been to Israel five times to visit family, and said he hopes to see some of them again during the trip.
As part of his mission to not “break the chain,” David joined United Synagogue Youth and B’nai B'rith Youth Organization, which he said will help him stay in touch with Jewish life when he moves on to in the fall.
“After Agnon it’s going to be hard to keep in touch with our Judaism, because here you’re constantly reminded of what to do,” he said. “They’re also both really good ways of meeting new people.”
The students will return May 12.