June Angel of the Month:
Kreiger Schechter Day School

Dr. Pual Schneider established a magnificent fund at the Krieger Schechter Day School in Maryland in his father's name - Benjamin Schneider. Parents and children make donations to the fund over the years for their children to honor people and events in their lives. Half of the fund subsidizes the Bar/Bat Mitzvah trip to Israel. The children dedicate the rest of the fund to whatever charities they find meaningful.

In January 2007 Ruthie Sobel Luttenberg and Anita King made a presentation to the Class of 2008 of Birthday Angels. Rabbi Schneider attended as well.

The children played the games in the Birthday Angels Party Kit and experienced first hand what kind of experience they could enable children in Israel. They were shocked to learn that there are so many children who cannot or do not get to celebrate their birthday. And after our party they felt that this was something that could greatly benefit our children.

A year an a half later, in June 2008 Ruthie met the class on their Bar Mitzvah trip in Israel. The meeting was at the Palmach Museum in Ramat Aviv. In the first hall of the museum are the words of the famous Alterman song "The Silver Platter" commemorating the soldiers of the Palmach whose heroes paved the road to Independence for all of us. The spirit of those words, made everyone think about how their lives have been handed to them on a silver platter and how it is for them to give back to those who need it. Their collective donation to Birthday Angels would enable 160 children a birthday party on their special day.

The continued support of the children and families at Kreiger Day School has touched deeply the lives of 160 children, their classmates, families and teachers.