Good thing the kids packed their positive attitudes and their heavy coats! Today was filled to the brim with exciting and meaningful experiences starting with a lovely Shabbat service followed by a simulation game in which students got to try their hands at lobbying for or against Renewable Energy Standards. Letters were drafted, celebrities courted, politicians visited, and TV commercials produced all in an effort to understand the political process and prepare us for our visit to The Hill on Monday. It also gave the students an insight into the power of money and the need for Campaign Finance Reform. Our afternoon included a emotional visit to the National Holocaust Museum, a trip to the World War II Memorial, and some well-earned time to hang out in Georgetown before Havdalah. Originally we were scheduled to say goodbye to Shabbat on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial but given the cold weather and occasional snow flurries, we ended up taking a quick peek before boarding the bus for the hotel. More opportunities to learn awaited us. During our evening programming, students chose to explore topics ranging from Civil RIghts in the Workplace to International Human Rights; from Health Care to Reproductive Rights. More topics will come as our young people get closer to choosing their subject for the speeches they will deliver to their members of Congress. Our students are doing everything right: showing up when and where they are supposed to, mingling with kids from other synagogues, and resisting the urge to whine when the temperature falls below 30 and we're stuck outside waiting for a bus that appears to have gotten lost.
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