Chesed

We view chesed as a fundamental goal, and we strive to promote in our students a sense of obligation to serve the Jewish people and all humanity as they improve our world (tikun olam).

We expect Ramaz students to uphold the highest standard of menschlichkeit in their attitudes and behavior, which must reflect morality, decency, modesty, and kindness.

• During lunch, the Upper School runs a bikur cholim program at Lenox Hill Hospital.
• Middle School students (grade 5 girls and grade 6 boys) incorporate a chesed project into their approaching bar/bat mitzvah celebrations. Our annual Chesed Fair brings together over 40 philanthropic organizations to speak directly with Ramaz student and their parents as potential partners in these opportunities.
• Our Lower School and ECC run an extremely successful toy drive around Chanukah, helping our students learn to share with others less fortunate.
• Recent schoolwide chesed activities have included sandwich making for a local food pantry, knitting scarves for a homeless shelter, and creating quilts for Soaring Words.
• Thanks to the initiative of one Upper School student, over 2000 pounds of leftover food from our schools was collected last year and distributed to hundreds of kosher families through City Harvest.
• After Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, the Ramaz community not only collected truckloads of materials to be sent to those in need and participated in fundraising efforts, but the School also sent delegations of Upper School students to New Orleans and the New Jersey Shore to help rebuild.
• The Middle School Chesed Club runs an annual read-a-thon fundraiser that both encourages a love of reading and raises funds to support a variety of non-profit organizations dedicated to helping those in need, such as Doctors Without Borders and Ronald McDonald House.
• The initiative known as Natan@Ramaz, launched by the Parents Council, is dedicated to extending a helping hand to the greater Ramaz community (students, parents, faculty, and employees) in times of need.