Exercise Your Compassion Muscles

Give Children Opportunities to Practice Compassion; Work Those Muscles

By Nancy Ludin, Executive director of the Jewish Pavilion

According to Marilyn Price- Mitchell, Ph.D., compassion cannot be learned by talking about it. Children must practice compassion in their daily lives. “Inspiring a spirit of volunteering in elementary and middle school helps kids develop their compassionate muscles – muscles they will use over and over again as they reach adolescence and adulthood.” Developing compassion in elementary and middle school-aged children is akin to developing muscle strength. The more you use your muscles, the stronger they get.”  Price says that children can learn to feel connected to their communities and know they can make a difference in the world through acts of compassion.

The Jewish Pavilion is a non-profit that encourages people of all ages to interact with seniors who reside in independent, assisted and skilled nursing communities. For the past two years, they have received a grant from the Joseph and Frieda Ross Foundation for intergenerational programming. They have worked with  Congregation Ohev Shalom, Temple Israel, Beth Chaim  and Shir Shalom  inspiring and mobilizing children to develop their compassionate muscles. The Children from Congregation Ohev Shalom have had “extra practice” through visiting their elders on a monthly basis. Visit www.jewishpavilion.org and contribute to a compassionate world.
Pictured is Marc Homburger Jacobs interacting with a resident at Savannah Court. As a regular volunteer with the Pavilion, he and his mother, Eve Homburger, have been visiting our elders for years. Marc is very comfortable around older adults.