Community Service

At DKJA, students actively engage in community service as an expression of our shared commitment to the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam—repairing the world. 

 

Through our middle school advisory program, students explore the deeper meaning of service by distinguishing between community service and service learning. Community service involves volunteering time to help others, while service learning combines meaningful service experiences with guided reflection and learning connected to academic or social-emotional goals. 

 

Each middle school grade level partners with organizations such as the Sinai Center, JARC, and the Jacobson Family Food Pantry, participating in ongoing, meaningful initiatives that allow them to see the real impact of their contributions over time. These repeated touchpoints help students develop empathy, responsibility, and a deeper understanding of community needs.

 

At the start of the school year, students in grades 5-8 connect with organizations across the South Florida area at our community service fair. Our students also volunteer for organizations beyond the South Florida area during summer months.

 

We strive to lay the foundation for a lifelong commitment to giving back. In addition to school-based projects, students are required to extend their impact beyond the classroom, with grade-specific service hour goals: 

 

Fifth Grade- 15 hours

Sixth Grade-  20 hours 

Seventh Grade- 25 hours

Eighth Grade- 30 hours

 

High school students are required to complete 200 hours of community service over four years. At the start of each school year, they kick off their service journey by connecting with local organizations at our Community Service Fair, which highlights opportunities across the South Florida area.

 

Throughout the school year, we offer students a variety of opportunities to fulfill their community service hours. Many also volunteer with organizations beyond South Florida during the summer. In addition, each of our high school honor societies sponsors service initiatives that further support student involvement.