How about a Jewish pledge !
Suppose that kids had to recite a pledge at the beginning of every day in Hebrew school. What about something that focuses on 3 key values that every Jew would want to aspire to:
“I pledge to do a mitzvah (when others are in need), to demonstrate respect (for my fellow members, for other people, and for my family), and dedicate my mind to learning (about my Jewish heritage, the Hebrew language, and the meaning of Jewish Living).”
I’m sure most folks are thinking, c’mon it’s 2010. Why would we want to create a pledge for kids to recite (…they won’t even take it seriously) ? Maybe not all of them, but some will and other may (over time) appreciate these words (or something along these lines) since repetition will have an impact over time. The impact may be subliminal in some and perhaps more obvious in other. The pledge also provides teachers and students with a non-personal way to challenge behaviors that are “not aligned” with these values when in class or socializing outside of school.
I wonder if it would be helpful to have all the members recite this pledge before every meeting, before every service, and before every event (where feasible). It might be interesting to see how folks (adults) change their behavior when they have to say a pledge in open public. Might be interesting to see if we can strengthen our sense of community through a few words that are bound in a pledge that we recite on a regular basis.
