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Akiva's pj party benefits less-fortunate children
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
Since he arrived in August 2014 in the United States from his native Israel, Doron Sigler has visited New York City, attended Cleveland Cavaliers basketball games and spent time at Disney World and Sea World in Orlando, Fla.
In addition to providing plenty of enjoyment and entertainment, the third-grader’s travels and adventures have deepened his empathy for children who can barely afford everyday basics.
“I felt better when I donated because I know some kids don’t have warm pajamas because their parents don’t have enough money to buy things for them,” said Doron, a student at Akiva Academy, a private school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade at the Jewish Community Center, 505 Gypsy Lane.
Doron was among the estimated 130 Akiva students who came dressed in pajamas Thursday to the North Side school. The dress-down party for the youngsters and staff was to celebrate the students’ having collected 91 pairs of pajamas for Mahoning County children who are less fortunate.
Also helping Doron was his sister, Tamar, an Akiva first-grader.
The project was part of a national campaign to support the Pajama Program, a 14-year-old effort that provides new books and pairs of pajamas of all sizes to children in need nationwide.
The program also has a partnership with the Scholastic Corp. for the books, noted Shauna Krafft, an Akiva third-grade teacher who spearheaded the collection effort.
Krafft recalled having taught in an inner-city school, where she worked with many children in poverty who came to class in dirty clothing and hungry. That backdrop fueled her desire to start collecting items for youngsters in need, she continued.
“They did not even have food at home, and that killed me,” Krafft said, adding that the pajamas will go to various agencies to be distributed. “This is kind of my way of giving to children here.”
Many of the local children who will benefit have a multitude of challenges. Some are victims of domestic violence, have parents who are incarcerated or have been displaced from their homes, she noted.
“As a group, we’re helping to give these children something positive and let them know someone out there is thinking of them,” Krafft said of the recipients.
Many students also affixed holiday cards they designed to the pairs of pajamas. Antonio Rutland, one of Krafft’s students, included in his card a poem by the late Shel Silverstein titled “Hug O’ War,” which looks at love and violence through a child’s eyes while expressing a preference for goodness.
“It makes me feel good we did this because we’re helping other kids who don’t have pajamas,” Antonio said.
The pajama collection also was in keeping with combining such projects with Akiva’s educational program and religion studies, Principal Kathy Mioni noted.
“We try to keep having community-service projects throughout the year to take an active part in changing someone’s life in a small way, even with a pair of pajamas and a book,” Mioni added. “We believe our students will be our future leaders if they make a difference now.”