Ora Gittelson-David
Sunnyvale, California
How is your Hero working to make the world a better place?
Ora is the coordinator for Gideon Hausner's Avodah L'Olam program. This program begins with each student in the 7th grade class donating a sum of money in lieu of buying gifts for their Bar and Bat Mitzvah age classmates. After establishing this financial base for their projects, each of Ora's seventh grade students selects a not for profit organization about which they are passionate and spend the year learning in depth not only about their specific organizations but also about the process of giving. Ora guides her students through this process by prompting them to explore both Jewish and secular texts, teaching them the skills of grant writing and interviewing, and encouraging them to consider the choices involved in giving philanthropy. At the end of the year the students engage in an intensive process of allocating the money they have raised through fundraising and grant writing. Throughout this all- encompassing program, Ora provides her students with the tools to become active and aware global citizens. While Avodah L'Olam primarily focuses on educating the seventh grade students, year after year Ora works to engage her entire school community in philanthropy and service learning, thus creating a school wide commitment to Tikkun Olam (Repairing of the World).
How has your Hero impacted your life and inspired you?
As Ora's three children, we are continuously inspired by her commitment to Tikkun Olam. For as long as we can remember, we have watched our mother commit her time and energy to ensuring that today's youth are actively engaged and aware of their surroundings. While our mother has always encouraged us to become involved, she has also conveyed to us the importance of paving our own unique path towards service based on our own passions and interests. Whether through sending us on volunteer trips to Uganda, helping us to create programs for the Darfur club at school, or urging us to mentor young children with special needs, our mother constantly provides us with the support to both embrace and challenge concepts of social justice.