Pupils at King David High School have been on a recent winning streak.
Fresh from seeing their Manchester school - which is made up of three campuses, King David, Yavneh Yeshiva and Yavneh Girls - marked "outstanding" in all categories in its recent Ofsted inspection, they proved they could be just as successful in their charitable endeavours.
After nine months of fundraising, 90 year-nine pupils flew out to Israel, where they presented their £12,000 donation to the Malki Foundation and Yad Sarah, two Israeli-based charities supporting Jewish and Arab families of children with disabilities.
During their visit, the students toured Yad Sarah's facilities in Jerusalem, and saw first-hand the impact their money would be making.
Thanks to their large donation, the charities will partner together to build six specially customised supportive chairs and four walking devices for children with severe disabilities.
‘This project has shown us what we are capable of when we are motivated’
According to Jacob Rudolph and Omri Simon, two pupils from Yavneh Yeshiva who presented the cheque, the boys' campus had worked since September to raise the money by packing supermarket bags, taking part in sponsored bike rides, and organising quizzes and raffles at school.
Nadia Mechlowitz, a pupil from Yeshiva Girls, added that she and her friends had organised cake sales, run Zumba classes, and had even produced a Pesach cookbook to raise the girls' funds.
The 14-year-old pupil said: "This project has shown us what we are capable of when we are motivated to help others who can do less than we can."
Arnold Roth, chairman of the Malki Foundation, applauded the pupils' efforts. He first met them, and opened their eyes to the work of the Malki
Foundation, in September, when he visited Manchester and explained how
his family had set up the charity after their 15-year-old daughter, Malki,
was killed in the Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing in Jerusalem in 2001.
"Many of these Manchester students are the same age as Malki was when her life was tragically cut short," said Mr Roth. "It is heart-warming to see how her legacy lives on in the hearts of Jewish children around the world."
Meanwhile, students and staff were also celebrating stellar results in their recent Ofsted inspection.
The collection of schools won the highest ranking of "outstanding" in all areas, an impressive feat since, on its last inspection, the school was marked "good".
Inspectors commented that "from their starting points, regardless of their ability, students make outstanding progress during their time at the school. The achievement of disadvantaged students is also outstanding."
Their report added: "Teachers have an excellent understanding of their students' needs. Students' exceptional behaviour makes a strong contribution to their learning."
Chairman of governors Joshua Rowe said he was "delighted that all the efforts of staff and pupils have been recognised in this way".
