Manchester Jewish Federation
The 18-year-old has just taken maths, Ivrit and textile art A levels at Yavneh School for Girls, part of King David High. During the summer she will be a madricha (leader) at Sinai Camp in France. She has recently exhibited her artwork, and took several orders which she will be working on over the summer. Come September, she will spend a year at sem in Jerusalem, where she will go to Sha’alvim for Women. Sophie hopes to study education at Bar Ilan University
Why the Fed?
I have been a Young Volunteer for the Fed for the past two school years. My older sisters, Amy and Lauren, were both Fed volunteers so I heard a lot about it from them and knew about the fantastic work they do to help Jewish people living in Manchester — people of all ages and with all kinds of problems. At the beginning of Year 12, staff from the Fed visited my class to talk to us about volunteering opportunities and I signed up straight away. Yavneh has a very strong ethos about helping in the community.
What does your volunteering role involve?
I told the volunteer co-ordinators that I was keen to work with children who needed extra support in school. They found me exactly what I wanted so that I have always really enjoyed and got a lot out of my placements. In my first year of volunteering, I was given a placement as a classroom assistant with a small group of children who found it harder than others to keep up. I gave them individual attention and explained things to them. This year I have been working with a group of Israeli children who had only recently come to live in England and had little knowledge of English. I translated for them. Additionally I took on a placement to help a boy who had behavioural problems and helped him to be involved in the lesson.
What do you enjoy most about being a volunteer?
All of it! I have loved working with all the children I’ve helped. It’s been so satisfying. Kids can get so frustrated and turn off when they don’t understand what’s going on. I feel like I’ve really made a difference to their lives.
What is your most memorable volunteering moment?
One of the Israeli children I worked with was especially quiet and uncommunicative at first. It was really quite sad. But within a surprisingly short time this child was completely different — speaking English well, joining in and having fun. I like to think I did my bit to help this child settle in.