"In the last 20 years I have noted a marked increase in the number of overweight and obese children in my practice. It is imperative that the entire community become aware of proper nutrition for children, in school and at home. The unhealthy eating and snacking habits that have developed in the last two decades must be changed. The children need to walk everywhere. The habit of riding wherever they go- even a few short blocks- is very detrimental to their health. We owe it to our children to get back to basic healthy nutrition and exercise. Their future health depends on it."
Dr. Susan Schulman, MD, pediatrician in Brooklyn,NY
Author of Understanding Your Child's Health
"We've been in business for two decades and in the past few years we have noticed the need for more and more custom and larger sizes for younger students. Second graders are needing size 20 jumpers and other elementary-age girls are needing 47-inch waists for their skirts. This should not be!"
Menachem - Fraylich Manufacturers and Distributors of school uniforms, Brooklyn, NY
The demand for large-size clothes among
children is higher than ever, according to store owners and tailors
servicing the Jewish community - another indication of the growing
epidemic of childhood weight gain and obesity.
"Fifty percent of the suits I sell to kids
are now husky," says Avrum Elenbogen, owner of the Hat Box on Coney
Island Ave. in Brooklyn.
Says a popular Boro Park tailor who wished to remain anonymous:
"I've been in business for 30 years and
in the past decade I have seen astounding changes in the size of 13 - 22
year olds. I've never seen this before - young boys coming in with size
40 chests and waists.
Almost
half of my stock now caters to heavy and over-sized kids and of that,
25% is for the morbidly obese - 48 chest 52 waist. When I measure the
hems, I noticed that the shoes are twisted out of shape due to excessive
weight. The shoes were not designed to support such heavy kids. Also
the suits are being destroyed more rapidly due to all the sweat these
kids create when simply walking around."
Rabbi Shmuel Goldstein, Principal, Yeshiva Torah Vodaath Elementary School
Thank you so very much for taking the time to come visit our program to tell us about Soveya's important message.
Both your staff and student presentations on eating healthfully were excellent. The rabbeim and other staff members needed to hear that they are directly responsible for being mechanech their students in the importance of being aware of what they are eating, and the students needed to hear that this is an important mitzvah!
Your technique and style in imparting these messages was extremely conducive to listening.
We look forward to encouraging our students in better eating habits via the Soveya weekly newsletter that we are receiving and perhaps, via our own reward system. With Hashem's help, we will be able to see progress in that area.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Y. Grunfeld, M.A.
Special Education Coordinator
P'TACH- Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin
(The Soveya Wellness Initiative
To Create Healthy Habits)
SWITCHH doesn't just combat the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, it helps children understand the pleasure and importance of appropriate eating before they develop unhealthy behaviors with food.
There is NO FEE TO THE SCHOOL to implement SWITCHH. Soveya is a non-profit organization funded by those who are committed to combating childhood obesity in the Jewish community. Each school can choose whichever parts of the program it feels most appropriate, and at whatever pace it wants.
Torah Umesorah promotes SWITCHH to their 700 affiliated schools, representing 200,000 children throughout the country.
SWITCHH provides a newsletter for parents and students to serve as a continual source of education, support and motivation. It offers a Torah perspective on health and nutrition, current news, information and practical advice, easy and healthy recipes, and an ongoing story for children.
SWITCHH runs a “Healthy Habit-A-Thon”, whereby students receive points toward prizes for completing a weekly checklist of healthy behaviors, such as eating a nutritious breakfast, going to sleep on time, and exercising daily. Click here to print out the checklist chart.
SWITCHH provides workshops for students, in-service programs for educators and seminars for parents to foster an understanding of the Torah’s extensive approach to health and nutrition.
Soveya provides a very important and timely service for Klal Yisroel by educating our children and adults about the Torah's obligation to take care of our bodies by eating properly. I recommend that yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs implement the Soveya program."
Rav Yaakov Perlow, Novominsker Rebbe, shlita
SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN SWITCHH:
Alef-Bet Montessori, MD
Bais Yaakov of 18th Avenue, Brooklyn
Bais Yaakov of Boro Park
Bais Yaakov, Baltimore
Beis Chaya Mushka, Brooklyn
Beth Jacob High School, Denver
Bnos Bais Yaakov – Far Rockaway
Bnos Bracha, Lakewood
Bnos Yisroel, Baltimore
Cheder Ateres Tzvi, Monsey
Chicago Schools (ATT)
Chush, Brooklyn
Cincinnati Hebrew Day School, OH
Clifton Cheder & Bais Yaakov, Passaic, NJ
Gan Yaffa Nursery, Baltimore, MD
Gan Yisroel, Brooklyn, NY
Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov, Chicago
Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, NY
Imrei Shufer, Monsey
Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov, Chicago
Levine Academy, Dallas
Machon Bais Yaakov, Brooklyn, NY
Masores Bais Yaakov,
Mirrer Yeshiva - Elementary, Brooklyn
New Baltimore Yeshiva, Baltimore
P'Tach - Bais Yaakov D'Reb Meir, Brooklyn
Prospect Park Yeshiva - Bnos Leah, Brooklyn, NY
P'Tach - Rabbi Chaim Berlin, Brooklyn
RITTS HS for Girls, Cincinnati
Shalom Torah Academy, NJ
Shulamis School for Girls, Brooklyn, NY
Talmudical Academy, Baltimore
Tiferes Bais Yaakov, Lakewood
Torah Academy, Boca Raton
Torah Academy, Milwaukee
Torah Institute, Baltimore
Torah Prep, St. Louis
Torah School of Greater Washington
Torah Vodaath, Brooklyn
Toras Emes, Miami
Yeshiva Bais Hillel, Passaic
Yeshiva Elementary, Miami Beach
Yeshiva Elementary, Milwaukee
Yeshiva Gedola Ohr HaTorah, Spring Valley, NY
Yeshiva Ketana of Queens, NY
Yeshiva of Brooklyn Girls School, Brooklyn
Yeshiva Nesivos Ohr, Lakewood, NJ
Yeshiva of North Jersey
Yeshiva Ohel Yosef, Teaneck, NJ
Yeshiva Ohr Reuven, Monsey
Yeshiva Rabbi S.R. Hirsch, NY, NY
Yeshiva Shaare Torah, Brooklyn
Yeshiva Tiferes Tzvi, Chicago
Yeshiva Torah Temimah, Brooklyn, NY
Yeshivat Noam, Paramus
Yeshivat Or HaTorah, Brooklyn, NY
Eli L.'s Incredible Story of Losing 80 Pounds
My name is Eli L. and I guess I was a typical Mesivta Yeshiva Bochur. I’d wake up early in the morning, wait for the bus to pick me up for Shacharis, and stay in Yeshiva until after Maariv. Needless to say, it’s a long day, and the Yeshiva provided me with breakfast, lunch and supper.
The food was typical, and I’d become the expert in dashing to the lunchroom and making sure that I get my portion. Sometimes, if I was lucky and ate fast enough, there’d be enough for doubles! Of course, during recess, I’d play ball with my chaveirim. The chevra would always choose me on their teams, because I was one of the big strong guys in my class. It’s very intense, and nothing tastes better than an ice cold soda or energy drink during game play. After game play, I’d hit the snack machine. Many times the snacks were much tastier and fresher then lunch!
After this full and busy day, I’d come home at around 10pm. Being a growing boy, I’d always scrounge in the refrigerator and see what the leftovers were from the family dinner. Hey, I was hungry, and why should I miss out on the delicious food my Mom would prepare for the family. Just a quick push on to the plate, pop into the microwave, and ahhh mechaya, home cooked snack that left me pleasantly full and ready for bed.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always known that I’m a big, strong guy. Also, with my heavy bones, I was sure that people would never realize how heavy the scale told me I was. My parents would cheppa me to stop eating so much, but hey, I learn hard, play hard, and like I always say, I’m a strong growing boy.
One day, my world was turned upside down dramatically. No, I didn’t meet Eliyohu Hanavi, and no, I didn’t look in the mirror and get sick. It was all because of two little boys from the first grade. I noticed them looking at me and giggling, and thought nothing of it. A few minutes later, the boys came back to me with very guilty looks on their faces.
“Our Rebbi told us to come back to you and ask you Mechila”, they said. I laughed and thought, what could these little boys have done to need my Mechila? I good naturedly responded by saying with a smile, “Sure, no problem, Why do I have to be Moichel you? What did you do wrong to me?” Their answer blew me away! “We were giggling together and saying, there goes the fattest boy in Yeshiva!” Time seemed to stand still while I digested what they said. I, the big, strong 10th grader that everyone chose first in sports, was the fattest kid in Yeshiva?!! I swallowed hard and mumbled, “Uh, no problem, I’m Moichel you B’Mechila Gemura.”
I came home that night and told my parents what happened. I summed it up by saying, “These two little kids meant it seriously. They’re not old enough to try to be hurtful. They were just stating a fact, as they saw it. It must be true!” It felt like I was living in a new world. Suddenly, when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see the powerful, muscular Athlete and Yeshiva bochur staring at me, but rather a seriously overweight kid who liked to run around. I decided then and there that things must change.
From that day on, I ate only small portions in Yeshiva of breakfast, lunch and supper. I brought from home an apple for a snack, and on the days when we had “junk food”, which was more often then I realized, I would bring a tuna sandwich from home. Out was the soda and energy drinks, and in was water, and lots of it. It was a battle, but I ignored the snack machine. Every night when I got home, I would do some push-ups and sit ups, just a couple at first, and then more and more.
Boruch Hashem, I’ve graduated now from Mesivta and am entering Beis Medrash. It’s been a long road, and I’ve lost a total of 80 pounds! All my clothes have been donated to gemachs, and I’m focused on my learning and of course sports. I’m no longer the “big” kid in my shiur, and I have to thank with all my heart, those two little boys who opened my eyes and let me see who I really was and made me change into who I am.
