Footprints
by Mendel's mother
On Sundays I find myself thinking back to how Mendel spent his Sundays. For the past 2 years Mendel volunteered at Chabad Hebrew School of West Houston. Each Sunday morning he had his alarm set, he would wake up, get ready, daven, and wait for his ride to Hebrew School…and he would come home excited to tell me all his accomplishments that day.
At just 11 and 12 years old, Mendel was excited to go help, teach, read to, even photocopy, sharing the knowledge he had in whatever capacity was needed. Mendel was especially excited to teach and test kids on “Alef Champ”, a method of learning the alef- bet, and Hebrew vowels. He was talented in that way. He could explain things in ways that they were easily understood. Mendel had an amazing rapport with younger kids and they loved to learn from, and with him.
We all leave footprints in this world. Some people’s footprints simply look like the bottom of their shoe. Mendel’s footprints look like alefs, beis’s, komatz’s. His footprints look like the smile on a child’s face when they finally learned to read the word, and like the excitement one gets from teaching, volunteering and helping others. His footprints are shiny and beautiful. They will be here forever, and they will inspire others to make beautiful footprints of their own.
With true thanks to Chabad Hebrew School West Houston for giving Mendel the opportunity to leave beautiful footprints doing what he enjoyed, and with tearful thanks to Mendel’s students for showing us his footprints….
