When I was a child, one of my favorite books was The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. I so much enjoyed reading how the metamorphosis process works in a way that was understandable to a kid.
However, I never thought that this concept was applicable to people. That is, until our family became part of the SINAI Family. When Tuvia was becoming school age, it was clear that SINAI Schools was more appropriate than any other educational environment he had attended until that point. Though his 16-year journey there began with apprehension by both him AND his parents, the story turned out so much more hopeful than we could have possibly expected.
Tuvia was pushed to do things we thought were never possible- caterpillars can’t do those things. However, the SINAI staff gave him the confidence in elementary school to be able to get up in front of a shul full of people and lein his parsha for his Bar Mitzvah. They did it again in high school, when he was given the confidence to put his 3-point shot into practice by becoming part of the TABC basketball team. And then, in his final years of SINAI, they helped give him the confidence to branch out into the workplace, where he finds himself today, through the vocational training program, which is such an integral part of some SINAI students’ experiences as they grow older. Tuvia had become a butterfly who now spreads his wings on a daily basis.
The story does not end there. It is just warming up. A few years after Tuvia entered into the protective and nurturing cocoon of SINAI, Devorah joined him. When she began, it was not always easy for her to speak clearly. By the time she was 12, she had been given the know-how by her teachers to be able to speak in front of a room full of people at her Bat Mitzvah. Upon entering high school, it was noticed that she showed tremendous promise as a runner. With that skill being honed and pushed, Devorah has been able to complete the Yad Leah run the last couple of years and participates in a Sunday morning running program whenever possible. This would have been impossible for a caterpillar. However, the staff at SINAI gave her wings with which she can fly. And that is what she will be doing after she graduates, as she heads to Israel to join the Darkaynu program.
Our SINAI story is not quite over as Zev joined the cocoon just one year after his twin sister. Due to his more academic bent, it was deemed appropriate for him to attend SINAI in a different location than his siblings. As his elementary school years progressed, the staff made sure that his love of math was nurtured while navigating the stresses that come along with being in a classroom with both teachers and fellow students.
Though his high school and post-high school path followed that of Tuvia, it was recognized right away that they were not the same people. As is done with every SINAI student, Zev was treated as his own person as he was guided by the caring teachers and therapists towards his own particular interests while still setting limits as to what is considered appropriate within the social realm. As he has gotten older and closer to graduation, he has focused on what kind of job would be best suited for him. Once again, SINAI put all their resources at his disposal to expose him to many different kinds of fields of work. It is with that experience that this particular butterfly looks forward to joining the workforce, with a job coach to start, after the summer.
Now, 21 years after Tuvia attended his first day of SINAI, Zev and Devorah will be attending their last in June. Though none of them were in the school for over 2 decades, the Minchenbergs as a family were. It has been quite a ride.
Many have asked Laurie and me what it’s like to be leaving SINAI after all this time. At first, our response was that of denial- after all, we have been told many times that “Denial is not only a River in Egypt”.
However, upon further reflection, we don’t really view ourselves as leaving the protective cocoon of SINAI at all. We know that all of those who took such care of our family throughout the years are not going away. They will continue to be there to help in any way they can. Why would they do such a thing when the children have left the walls of their institution? The answer is simple. Because when you have given so much of yourself to another, it is impossible to completely let go. One has to marvel at the butterflies that they helped to create.
There will always be a part of SINAI in each one of our children and in ourselves. And as a result, there will always be a part of the Minchenberg family in SINAI. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, thank you, thank you.
To read this article as it originally appeared in the Jewish Link, click here.