Middle Schoolers Talk Torah and Yom Kippur with Someone Who Repented for a Big Mistake

Middle Schoolers prepped for Yom Kippur with a fascinating, Torah-filled talk with visitor Mr. Eli Tilson. Mr. Tilson was convicted last year of defrauding investors and spent five months in prison, an experience that made him truly value the importance of telling the truth. He explained that, when people lie, they usually do so because they want to control a situation, such as making an excuse in order to keep someone from getting annoyed. However, he said that it is important to remember that Hashem runs the world, and making peace with this idea allows a person to accept not being in control: they must simply tell the truth. He also stressed the importance of being able to admit to mistakes. If someone cannot admit they made a mistake, he explained, they will not be able to correct it, and they won't be able to help others who are in a similar situation. Mr. Tilson discussed the connection between these lessons and Yom Kippur, especially the concept of teshuvah. On one hand, some can define teshuvah as simply "return," but he does not want to return to the person he was before. Rather, he wants to build on himself with the tools that he gained from this experience, becoming a better person so that next time he is faced with a choice, he will do the right thing. He and the students agreed that this is a goal for which everyone should aim.