Gemilut Chasadim: acts of loving kindness- you may not realize but you probably achieve gemilut chasadim frequently. For example, during a typical day at school it is likely that you have held the door open for someone or let a classmate borrow a pencil. These are small things but they do count. Something that may not come to mind right away that is incredibly important is gemilut chasadim to elders. What does this involve? I'm talking about simple but meaningful acts of loving kindness such as saying "Hi, how are you?" and making conversation when you see an elder you know. If an older person drops something it would probably be much easier for you, your youthful self, to pick it up before they have to bend down to get it and get back up again. Think about it; I bet you have done that before. This is more meaningful than you may think.

I was once at a Tu B'shvat seder which included a mixture of people of all ages from my synagogue. My first instinct, as you may assume, was to go sit with my friends from Hebrew school, surrounding myself with people my age. However, my cousin stopped me and said, "Don't you think it would be nice of us to sit with them?" She took my attention over to two older couples, one of them I was familiar with, the other I did not recognize. I will be honest and say that I was hesitant at first, not necessarily enthusiastic about her idea, but I decided that it couldn't hurt to share one meal with them. We sat down, and as it is easier for my cousin to warm up to strangers, she cheerfully said, "Hi! How are you?" I said hello and I could already see that they were delighted that we filled in the empty chairs next to them. We made small conversation, and throughout the meal we enjoyed each other's company. It made me happy to see that they felt appreciated by young people like us. After the meal, I walked away feeling glad that I did not pass up the opportunity of a Mitzvah. I felt like I made a difference just by bringing smiles to their faces and laughter to their hearts.

I also go down to Monday night minyan with fellow USYers before we have a Lounge Night. The men, in their cardigan sweaters, sneakers, and elaborate kipot, are always happy to see our young faces and will ask us to read prayers aloud in order to add some ruach to their service. I may not always look forward to services initially but once I am there, it's nice to see how happy they are and once again I know that they know we care enough to join their service.

So take a minute, next time you come in contact with an elderly person, and say hello, ask how he or she is, and you will see a smile similar to what I have seen, and I guarantee that it will make you feel good inside. Acts of loving kindness don't only benefit you by knowing you did something to help someone, but most importantly make a difference to those who are the recipients of your caring behavior. Elders are special people; they have seen a lot more of the world than you have, both good and bad. They have a wealth of stories from the many experiences that they have had, from the many years they have lived. So take it upon yourself to be kind to elders, because their time is precious, and the time you spend with them is something they will never forget.

  Reprinted with permission from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation Teen Philanthropy project, B'nai Tzedek.