A prominent Greek statesman named Pericles once said, “Just because you don’t take an interest in politics, doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.”

Being a teacher means much more than educating students. In addition to creating and implementing lessons and providing feedback on students’ work, we are responsible for maintaining detailed records, managing behavior, seeking out resources when students’ basic needs go unmet, attending data meetings, and completing ongoing professional development. The list of our official and unofficial duties is seemingly unending.

“Speak little. Do much.” (Pirkei Avot 1:15) — these words aptly describe many of the people we have met and interacted with during our years chairing the Kemp Mill Synogogue (KMS) Tzedakah Committee in Silver Spring, Maryland. We have had the honor of serving on the KMS Tzedakah Fund for the past 12 years, and as we step down, we wanted to give the community a picture of how much care and love we got to see behind the scenes.

There is no holiday like Purim. Not only is it a mitzvah to be happy, when you think about it, Purim is also the only holiday in the Jewish tradition where it is permitted, even compulsory, to drink and be silly.

This February marks the 10th anniversary of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). Since its inception, JDAIM has grown into an international movement where organizations, communities, and congregations find creative ways to take steps toward becoming more inclusive. Many of our local Greater Washington congregations plan special Shabbat services that include individuals with disabilities as guest speakers. From a strong local involvement at the annual Jewish Disability Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, to MC LIVE, a night of comedy benefitting organizations in our local Jewish community that directly support individuals with disabilities, JDAIM programing has become part of February’s landscape. The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington proudly joins the celebration each year, hosting a dedicated JDAIM page that lists programing ideas along with a running list of events planned.

Arming teachers with guns may not be the best solution to preventing school shootings, but it certainly isn’t a bad idea. And be sure — the people who reject the idea outright are more preoccupied with banning guns than they are in addressing violence.

When I was in my early twenties, living in another city and becoming increasingly Jewishly observant, I looked to the Orthodox Jewish community for ways to participate, yet found few opportunities for women to be included in discourse on Halacha (Jewish law). I am grateful that I moved to Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac, Maryland, 11 years ago with my husband, Rabbi Nissan Antine, and our first child, where I found a vibrant Jewish community full of diverse Jewish learning opportunities for both women and men.

February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month. This year it falls out as we are learning about Moses, who had the disability of a speech impediment yet was one of our most important leaders. We are also learning this month that Jews of every ability were at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah.

The creation of the Institute for Pediatric Innovation stemmed from founder and president Donald Lombardi’s passion for helping children, and from the realization that the needs of pediatric patients are not being sufficiently met. Having now lost two elderly parents, I have realized that, similarly, there are needs of geriatric patients that are not sufficiently met. If I ever make it big, like Lombardi, I will found the Institute of Geriatric Innovation.

When Rabbi Uri Topolosky visited Houston days after Hurricane Harvey, one particular young person’s act of chesed (kindness) inspired him. After the hurricane had caused a bat mitzvah at Houston’s United Orthodox Synagogues (UOS) to be postponed, the bat mitzvah girl, Gali, announced that she was donating all her bat mitzvah presents to recovery and rebuilding efforts.