Temple congregation assisting at Adcock Elementary

By Jeff O'Brien

Friday, Nov. 21, 2008 | midnight

Temple Bet Knesset Bamidbar, a synagogue in Sun City Summerlin for residents age 55 and over, is closing the generation gap by lending a helping hand to a local elementary school.

The synagogue, which has approximately 1,100 members, began partnering with O.K. Adcock Elementary School in mid-October for a variety of volunteer activities and fundraising efforts that will continue throughout the school year.

The program was largely the brainchild of Robert Mirisch, president of Temple Bet Knesset Bamidbar.

"I was concerned about the economic situation the Clark County schools are in," Mirisch said. "I took it upon myself to go down to the district and meet with their community partnership department to investigate the possible ways we could help."

The district's community partnership department recommended O.K. Adcock Elementary based on the school's close proximity to Sun City Summerlin — about six miles away near the intersection of Rainbow Boulevard and U.S. 95.

The wheels soon began turning as Mirisch met with Adcock Elementary's principal, Helen Carlson, on Sept. 15 to discuss areas in which the school needed help. The next day, Temple Bet Knesset Bamidbar's board of directors approved the program.

Since then, about 15 members of the congregation have signed up to be volunteer readers for third, fourth and fifth graders at the school, and Mirisch expects that number to grow.

"We've had people going there almost every day," he said. "It's a wonderful thing for the generation gap."

The congregation is also providing funds for two field trips — one to a concert by the Las Vegas Philharmonic for the fourth graders, and the other to Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef for the fifth graders.

Elizabeth Chandler, literary specialist at Adcock, said the number of seniors volunteering has been higher than expected.

The help might soon expand into areas such as grading homework and assisting with art or music programs.

"Our teachers are getting some extra help that we haven't had for a very long time," Chandler said.

Mirisch and his wife have been visiting the school several times a week, spending one to two hours each time reading to children.

"It engages the kids and gives the teachers spare time to take care of other work," Mirisch said.

The program is one that Carlson hopes will continue beyond this school year. About half of Adcock Elementary's 600 students are Hispanic, and she said many of their parents work long hours away from home.

"We really appreciate how these seniors are taking the extra time to talk to our kids and motivate them," Carlson said. "Many of our kids don't have those connections on a consistent basis."

Jeff O’Brien can be reached at 990-8957 or [email protected].