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ByALICEADAMS

Rachel Levy and Rachel Kalinsky – both students at The Emery/Weiner School – appear to be healthy, happy teenagers, dealing

with all the usual challenges of growing up in the modern world. However, upon closer study, the two Rachels (daughters of Syma and Darryl Levy and Jennifer and Mark Kalinsky) are, in fact, very special young women.

As proof, go back in time to October 2009. Rachel Levy, 16, (then a junior) had been volunteering at Texas Children’s Hospital. “My first job was taking the book and movie cart around,” she said, “and while I expected the kids to be sad and feeling sorry for themselves, they were everything but that – which inspired me.”

After sharing her experiences with her best friend, Rachel Kalinsky, the two girls began thinking about how they might make a difference for some of the

hospital’s patients; in other words, a far-reaching mitzvah.

Rachel Kalinsky’s aunt works in the TCH renal department and connected the girls to its Quality of Life coordinators, Frida Wilson and Meredith Vela. A series of discussions led to planning a prom for about 50 dialysis and transplant patients, who often are unable to participate in regular school activities.

The two Rachels enlisted the help of their mothers – Syma Levy, a party plan-ner by profession, and Jennifer Kalinsky – as well as fellow students and school administrators. Hospital personnel were invaluable in helping with logistics, help-ing the girls meet the patients’ needs and helping negotiate for donated services.

“The easiest part for me was coming up with ideas for how to raise the money,” said Rachel Kalinsky, “because that type of thinking has always come easily to me. The most difficult part was getting other teens to take me seriously. But, after five fundraising events (a bake sale, a garage

sale, a progressive dinner, T-shirt sales, and a dodge ball tournament) and a pre-sentation to the entire school, I was able to recruit over 40 students and raise a substantial amount of money for this cause.”

“Actually, the most difficult part was deciding a theme,” Rachel Levy remem-bered. “We wanted the patients to have input and, as it happened, they were divided between two themes. Finally, we ended up with a Hollywood-themed event, which included the generous dona-tion of The House of Dereon Media Center, a red carpet, limos, lights, food, candy, photographers, DJs and music and swag [goodie] bags for the 100 or so kids and their guests who attended.”

The glamGeographically speaking, pop diva

Beyonce Knowles’ fabulous House of

Dereon Media Center – an art-fully restored art deco building in Houston’s Midtown Historic District – is only a few miles from TCH. But, for 50 teenage patients diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, the distance from the hospital’s eighth-f loor dialysis department to the venue was light-years away from their everyday reality.

“Our main goal was for the kids to have fun,” Rachel Levy said, and Frida Wilson said that was exactly what happened.

“For a few hours,” said Wilson, “we saw our patients, who undergo dialysis three times a week or who are awaiting kidney trans-plant, experience what healthy kids experience, and they were having fun from the minute they walked the red carpet amid the glare and excitement of the paparazzi’s f lashing cameras and a room filled with music and dancing.”

Because the two Rachels wanted this first prom to be extra special, they led a prom dress

drive – in their school and at the hospital – and, by the end of the campaign, fami-lies, friends, hospital employees and others had donated more than 300 dresses. Frocks needing alterations attracted hos-pital employees and other volunteers to donate their time and expertise.

Men’s suits and tuxedos also were col-lected for the boys, ages 15 to 22, so when prom night came on April 18, everyone was glamorously attired. And, students from the San Jacinto College cosmetology program provided the finishing touches – hair, makeup and manicures for all the girls.

“Everything was donated,” said

‘The Rachels Project’ Teens create dazzling prom for Texas Children’s Hospital renal patients

JasmineDavis,16,wasamongthepromguestswhoarrivedbylimoandsteppedoutontheredcarpet.

Prom-proudareRachelLevy,LizMimsandRachelKalinsky.

Dancingthenightaway.

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Rachel Levy, “down to the Mexican food buffet from Pico’s res-taurant, which was prepared under the direction of the hos-pital’s dietician who oversees the patient’s dietetic needs.”

The two Rachels invited their class-mates to participate, and they responded in droves. Some served as photographers; others served candy, danced and played games – all helping to make the event unforgettable.

Syma Levy said Music World, the cor-poration owned by the Knowles family, contributed goodies and autographed photos for the swag bags, which included Oscar look-alikes. Prommers also were invited to visit Beyonce’s recording studio on the venue’s second level. “All the Hollywood glam was in there, and from all appearances, the kids from Texas Children’s loved every minute,” she said.

“It meant a lot to be able to give others an opportunity that they may otherwise never get,” said Rachel Kalinsky, “and a night to feel truly confident, comfortable and ‘normal’ in a sense.”

Tikkun olamLiz Mims, upper school dean of stu-

dents at EWS, not only supported the girls

in their vision, but also attended the prom. “Emery/ Weiner School, hands down, excels in promoting com-munity service among its stu-dents,” Mims said.

After attending the prom, Mims said she came away feeling she had got-ten to know a part of Houston’s com-munity she hadn’t known before. “And, I was able to understand a need,” she added. “Not only did I get to know specif ic

kids and hear their stories, but I also understood the two Rachels’ cause and felt more invested.”

The Rachels were pleased with the results: “We wanted to make it beyond awesome,” Rachel Levy said, “but the night of prom, we learned the kids didn’t care if there were extra lights on the ceil-

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ing or extra beverages. They were just kids having fun, so it didn’t take extras for them to appreciate the event.”

“I felt a little sad when it was all over,” recalled Rachel Kalinsky, “because all those months of planning disappeared within a few fun hours. But, I also felt very accomplished and rewarded, as I knew that all the kids had a great time, and everyone left with a smile on their faces.”

The Rachels have wonderful social action models. “Throughout my entire Jewish education, I have been taught tik-kun olam – repair the world,” said Rachel Levy. “I’m in a club at school that works toward helping the world and not being self ish or self-centered. My parents and other role models, as well as teach-ers and administrators, have helped us develop the mindset to reach out and help others.”

“I have volunteered my time and effort to many different programs over the years,” added Rachel Kalinsky, “such as the Paper Houses Across the Border organization, Autism Speaks program, Emery Environmentalist Club and many others. This year, I founded the Emery Save the Sea Mammals Club and raised

over $4,500 dollars for the World Wildlife Fund, which ‘adopts’ and rescues thou-sands of abused and endangered sea mammals.”

Wilson watched her patients trans-form from everyday teenagers to glam-orous prom-goers, dancing and making new friends. “Our patients live every day, knowing they are ill,” Wilson said, “and these two young women made it possible for them to enjoy the rite of passage in experiencing the prom and forgetting their chronic illnesses, at least for an afternoon.

“When we woke up that morning, the skies were cloudy and it was driz-zling rain,” she added. “By the time our patients boarded the chartered bus for the trip to The House of Dereon and everything the girls had planned, we had perfect weather and blue skies as if it were meant to be.”

NOTE: Rachel Levy hopes to become an attorney for children’s advocacy, and Rachel Kalinsky aspires to become a doc-tor. The two have begun making plans for next year’s prom, and their classmates already are volunteering to help with “The Two Rachels Project – 2011.” c

Photos by syma Levy and RacheL stRum

Theparty’sover,butmanyoftherenalpatientsweren’treadytogo.

.c

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ByRABBIPETERTARLoW

Texas A&M Hillel is known as the “Hillel that was before

there was Hillel.” Founded several years prior to the national Hillel foundation, Aggies proudly call their Hillel the oldest in not only the nation, but also the world. In the early 1920s, Hillel was not only unique, but also often isolated.

This islotion meant that a number of Aggie Jewish traditions devel-oped. As the New Year approaches, here is a short calendar tour of a unique form of Judaism, which we might call “Minhag Aggie/The Aggie Jewish Tradition.”

Rosh HashanahThere are at least two

unique Aggie Jewish tradi-tions related to the onset of the New Year:

Just as the Corps of Cadets plays a major role in the life of Texas A&M University, so too, Texas A&M Hillel, years ago, developed its own “Shofar Corps.” Com- posed of Aggie students, the Shofar Corps is re- sponsible to blast us into the New Year by surround-ing our sanctuary with the sounds of the shofar.

Another unique Rosh Hashanah tradition is a take-off on the ceremony of tashlich. Aggies gather each Rosh Hashanah by the local police pond and empty their pockets into the water. As the ducks have come to

expect lots of food on this day, bread is brought to the pond and tashlich has taken on the additional name of the “Ceremony of the Feeding of the Ducks.”

Yom KippurYom Kippur in Aggieland is as solemn

as any place else. Before the day ends with a traditional breaking of the fast prepared by our students, the day is brought to its conclusion at the end of the neilah service with a darkened building surrounded by members of our Shofar Corps who end the day with a solemn “tikiah gdolah.”

SukkotSukkot is marked in Aggieland with

traditional meals in the sukkah. As years ago, kosher hotdogs were not only a treat but also the only kosher meat available, we mark the first night of Sukkot by the eating of kosher hotdogs in the sukkah. In recent years, other days of Sukkot have developed their own traditions, such as “Pizza in the Sukkah.”

Simchat TorahSimchat Torah has developed a new tra-

dition. Each hakafah, or marching with the

Torah, is represented by a different biblical food. The idea is to connect the sweetness of the Torah to foods such as milk and honey.

ChanukahChanukah has developed several special

Aggie traditions. A traditional Chanukah food is latkes, and Aggies eat them “blue.” Considering that almost everything in Aggieland is maroon, one might ask: Why blue latkes? The reason is simple: There was no maroon food coloring when the tradition began!

PurimPurim has its own special Aggie cus-

toms, too. Years ago, it was hard to order graggers (noise makers), so the Aggies took the injunction to wipe out Haman’s name literally. They developed that night into the time of the “Throwing of Toilet Paper.” Each time Haman’s name is read, toilet paper is thrown as a symbol of the need to wipe out Haman’s name forever.

PassoverPassover, of course, is the time of the

Seder. Aggies do the traditional Seder meal on the first night. The second night is spent

helping Jewish inmates at a local federal prison camp. Aggies conclude the Seder meals with not only the singing of tradi-tional Passover songs, but also a number of American songs adapted to the themes of Passover.

ShavuotBecause Shavuot occurs during the

summer months when classes are not in session, there are less special Aggie tradi-tions built around this holiday. However, the traditional reading of the Book of Ruth is combined with a lively discussion of the book and what it means in a world where so many lack food.

ShabbatFinally, it would be wrong not to men-

tion Shabbat. Because Aggieland prides itself on being multilingual, the motzie is sung not only in Hebrew and English but also in Spanish. Students have written their own prayer book and the summer months often see “Adon Olam” sung to a different tune every week.

Rabbi Peter Tarlow is executive director of Texas A&M University Hillel. c

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Texas A&M Hillel Foundation Welcome Bash (Sept. 6, 2009) at the home of Paul and Tina Gardner.Sitting:GraceUnell,MichelleMoe,CarenMandlebaum,DavidTirsun,JacqueSiegel,SamanthaRosenbaum,Revellie7(dog,formermascot),SarahKashinsky,MarniItzkowitz,MindyPrengler.Standing:MartyHalfant,RabbiPeterTarlow,DavidRahmani,BryanCroft,JoshPudnos,AaronHerstein,GregCohen(thumbsup),MelanieWeiser,NathanKaufman,JaredRumack,GregNachlas,JaredSnow,MikeKleinfield.