{"product_id":"the-do-more-club-isbn-9780593532874","title":"The Do More Club","description":"\u003cb\u003eA Jewish boy’s bravery and kindness are tested after an antisemitic attack on his middle school in this rousing novel in verse.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEver since twelve-year-old Josh Kline found an antisemitic note in his family’s mailbox in third grade, he has felt uncomfortable about his Jewish identity. At a new school where he’s pretty sure he’s the only Jew, he’s hoping to just keep religion out of everything . . . until the morning someone sprays swastikas all over the building. That’s when everything changes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn one of the school counseling groups set up in response to the attack, Josh finally reveals that he is Jewish, and quickly finds out there’s more to the other kids in his grade too: All of them have their own struggles. Maybe Josh can do something to help—to “repair the world” as his rabbi teaches, by starting a Do More club to spread kindness. But making a difference is never simple, even when you have new friends by your side.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFast-paced and conversation-starting, Josh’s story is an empowering examination of prejudice, bullying, and how to take the first step toward change.\"Debut author Kramaroff presents an appealing protagonist in sixth grader Josh, the only Jewish kid in his school . . . The accessible verse, written almost entirely in lowercase, follows Josh’s awakening to the cause of justice.\" —\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Kramaroff, in her well-executed novel in verse, does a fine job of dramatizing an important subject while deftly skirting didacticism. The result is an excellent book for both independent reading and classroom discussion.\" —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Kramaroff crafts a thought-provoking verse novel . . . Through carefully balanced moments of pathos and heart-wrenching descriptions of casual cruelty, Kramaroff weaves a gently compelling narrative of self-acceptance and beginner’s advocacy.\" —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003eDana Kramaroff is a mom, an elementary school teacher, and a fellow of the National Writing Project. Her publishing credits include multiple articles about parenting on Scary Mommy. She hails from rural Pennsylvania (where her kids are often the only Jews in their schools as well) and is easily impressed by stickers, washi tape, colorful pens, and notebooks.\u003cb\u003emy life\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e can sorta be split\u003cbr\u003e into\u003cbr\u003e before \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e and\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e after.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e before the\u003cbr\u003e swastikas were graffitied\u003cbr\u003e all over\u003cbr\u003e my middle school\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e and now\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e after.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e to be honest?\u003cbr\u003e i liked it\u003cbr\u003e better\u003cbr\u003e when everyone\u003cbr\u003e wasn’t talking\u003cbr\u003e about\u003cbr\u003e jewish things.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i hear before\u003cbr\u003e mom and dad hear,\u003cbr\u003e which is\u003cbr\u003e weird\u003cbr\u003e because parents should def\u003cbr\u003e know about big things \u003cbr\u003e that happen \u003cbr\u003e before kids do\u003cbr\u003e so they can explain things \u003cbr\u003e to their kids\u003cbr\u003e so that their kids\u003cbr\u003e aren’t so\u003cbr\u003e scared.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e (i am scared.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but in middle school\u003cbr\u003e one person finds out \u003cbr\u003e about something and then \u003cbr\u003e it’s all over\u003cbr\u003e social media \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e and that\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e is\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e that.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ewhen i was little\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i would creep into\u003cbr\u003e mom and dad’s room\u003cbr\u003e while it was still\u003cbr\u003e dark.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i would go in there \u003cbr\u003e about everything\u003cbr\u003e from the \u003cbr\u003e boogie man to\u003cbr\u003e weird noises.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e so i guess\u003cbr\u003e that’s why\u003cbr\u003e i end up\u003cbr\u003e standing at\u003cbr\u003e the foot of their big bed\u003cbr\u003e again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i don’t want to wake them \u003cbr\u003e but i don’t want\u003cbr\u003e to be\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e alone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003emom does this thing\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e whenever she gets\u003cbr\u003e woken up real suddenly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e she sort of yelps\u003cbr\u003e and pops up,\u003cbr\u003e shouts loud,\u003cbr\u003e “josh? what’s wrong?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “something happened,” \u003cbr\u003e i whisper.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e by now\u003cbr\u003e dad’s up too\u003cbr\u003e and i am frozen there\u003cbr\u003e not really wanting to say\u003cbr\u003e much else.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i answer in\u003cbr\u003e simple sentences.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e graffiti.\u003cbr\u003e school.\u003cbr\u003e police.\u003cbr\u003e i don’t know.\u003cbr\u003e i don’t know.\u003cbr\u003e i don’t know.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ei’m anxious \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e inside.\u003cbr\u003e my chest\u003cbr\u003e is cold and\u003cbr\u003e icy feeling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e it’s something \u003cbr\u003e i’ve never felt before\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ever.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003esitting in\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e silence\u003cbr\u003e while we eat\u003cbr\u003e bagels and cream cheese\u003cbr\u003e is not normal for \u003cbr\u003e us.\u003cbr\u003e the silent part,\u003cbr\u003e i mean.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e no one says\u003cbr\u003e a word.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e every once in a while\u003cbr\u003e mom’s phone dings.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e all the sixth-grade moms are \u003cbr\u003e talking about\u003cbr\u003e what happened too.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ewell, it’s not\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e okay\u003cbr\u003e at all.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e which is exactly what mom wants to talk about\u003cbr\u003e every five seconds\u003cbr\u003e and i keep\u003cbr\u003e saying,\u003cbr\u003e “yes\u003cbr\u003e i’m fine.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but the truth is \u003cbr\u003e if i really think about\u003cbr\u003e how much\u003cbr\u003e it bothers\u003cbr\u003e me \u003cbr\u003e then i’ll\u003cbr\u003e have to\u003cbr\u003e admit\u003cbr\u003e that for the \u003cbr\u003e first time ever\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i wish \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i wasn’t \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e jewish.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ethings like this\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e aren’t supposed to\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e happen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e here.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eeveryone is still \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e texting about what happened.\u003cbr\u003e it’s kinda like\u003cbr\u003e kids\u003cbr\u003e have never heard\u003cbr\u003e about\u003cbr\u003e swastikas\u003cbr\u003e nazis\u003cbr\u003e or that jews are a hated\u003cbr\u003e group of people.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e every kid is surprised\u003cbr\u003e but i’m not.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ever since the bagel-mailbox\u003cbr\u003e thing that happened\u003cbr\u003e when i was \u003cbr\u003e eight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i’d never thought \u003cbr\u003e that kind of thing \u003cbr\u003e could happen \u003cbr\u003e again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but as mom says,\u003cbr\u003e “never say\u003cbr\u003e never.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i just \u003cbr\u003e don’t \u003cbr\u003e get why they\u003cbr\u003e are so \u003cbr\u003e surprised that \u003cbr\u003e bad people \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e attack\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e jewish people\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i’ve been learning about this stuff\u003cbr\u003e since third grade\u003cbr\u003e in hebrew school,\u003cbr\u003e in synagogue,\u003cbr\u003e at home.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i guess\u003cbr\u003e i wish i didn’t know\u003cbr\u003e so much more \u003cbr\u003e than \u003cbr\u003e the rest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eit’s not like my school\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e or town\u003cbr\u003e is a bad place.\u003cbr\u003e it’s just not that\u003cbr\u003e diverse.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e except for mr. g.\u003cbr\u003e and our new principal\u003cbr\u003e everybody is white and \u003cbr\u003e christian.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e mom and dad\u003cbr\u003e went to the meet and greet\u003cbr\u003e a few weeks \u003cbr\u003e ago\u003cbr\u003e excited\u003cbr\u003e to meet\u003cbr\u003e dr. harris.\u003cbr\u003e she’s jewish\u003cbr\u003e like us\u003cbr\u003e and i think that made them feel comfortable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e maybe that’s why\u003cbr\u003e my insides\u003cbr\u003e are so\u003cbr\u003e worried.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ’cause i’m\u003cbr\u003e wondering\u003cbr\u003e if the\u003cbr\u003e graffiti is\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e because\u003cbr\u003e of dr. harris and\u003cbr\u003e if it is\u003cbr\u003e well\u003cbr\u003e i’ve got\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e zero\u003cbr\u003e words.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ethe tv stations\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e have vans parked\u003cbr\u003e up and down\u003cbr\u003e the road in front of\u003cbr\u003e school.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i know\u003cbr\u003e because kids\u003cbr\u003e keep posting\u003cbr\u003e on social media.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e it’s like when the temp\u003cbr\u003e gets to 100 degrees\u003cbr\u003e and every\u003cbr\u003e single kid posts a picture \u003cbr\u003e of the car thermometer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i’m so sick of \u003cbr\u003e every\u003cbr\u003e single \u003cbr\u003e kid i know\u003cbr\u003e talking about this thing\u003cbr\u003e that happened to\u003cbr\u003e my school,\u003cbr\u003e because it feels like \u003cbr\u003e the swastikas\u003cbr\u003e the words “die jews”\u003cbr\u003e all in red spray paint \u003cbr\u003e written on\u003cbr\u003e the bricks\u003cbr\u003e the sidewalk\u003cbr\u003e the doors\u003cbr\u003e the windows\u003cbr\u003e and “gas the jews”\u003cbr\u003e written on\u003cbr\u003e the “no place for hate”\u003cbr\u003e banner\u003cbr\u003e feels way more about dr. harris \u003cbr\u003e and me\u003cbr\u003e the only jewish kid\u003cbr\u003e than it is\u003cbr\u003e about my school, \u003cbr\u003e washington middle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e my plan\u003cbr\u003e to get\u003cbr\u003e away from all this\u003cbr\u003e talk\u003cbr\u003e is to hide in my room.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e this way\u003cbr\u003e i don’t have to\u003cbr\u003e see\u003cbr\u003e mom whispering to dad\u003cbr\u003e his worried\u003cbr\u003e face\u003cbr\u003e their phone calls\u003cbr\u003e to\u003cbr\u003e our old rabbi\u003cbr\u003e in our old town\u003cbr\u003e and to our new rabbi\u003cbr\u003e in our newish\u003cbr\u003e synagogue.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e it makes me\u003cbr\u003e want to turn\u003cbr\u003e my music\u003cbr\u003e loud\u003cbr\u003e and shut it all\u003cbr\u003e out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e which is why I turn off my \u003cbr\u003e phone\u003cbr\u003e because all the buzzing and beeping\u003cbr\u003e is driving me\u003cbr\u003e nuts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ewhen the bagel-mailbox thing\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e happened\u003cbr\u003e i was short \u003cbr\u003e for a third grader and \u003cbr\u003e had to stand on my toes \u003cbr\u003e to reach \u003cbr\u003e the envelopes. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e i pulled the\u003cbr\u003e door\u003cbr\u003e down\u003cbr\u003e stuck my hand inside\u003cbr\u003e but yanked it back\u003cbr\u003e super quick.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e mom tells the story that i shouted out\u003cbr\u003e scared.\u003cbr\u003e yelling for her to come.\u003cbr\u003e she ran and grabbed \u003cbr\u003e my hand\u003cbr\u003e holding it\u003cbr\u003e away from\u003cbr\u003e my clothes she sniffed and\u003cbr\u003e announced,\u003cbr\u003e “shaving cream.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e she yelled for dad\u003cbr\u003e and they walked me into the house\u003cbr\u003e together.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i started crying\u003cbr\u003e mostly because of their faces.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e mom poured me\u003cbr\u003e milk and fed me three oreos \u003cbr\u003e which never\u003cbr\u003e happened.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but what i remember most\u003cbr\u003e was dad\u003cbr\u003e coming back in\u003cbr\u003e not too much \u003cbr\u003e later.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e he was quiet\u003cbr\u003e and just looked\u003cbr\u003e at mom\u003cbr\u003e and placed a big shaving cream-covered\u003cbr\u003e bagel\u003cbr\u003e on the\u003cbr\u003e counter\u003cbr\u003e and a note that said:\u003cbr\u003e “eat this,\u003cbr\u003e jews.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003elots of people eat bagels\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but\u003cbr\u003e jewish people\u003cbr\u003e eat them more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e bagels in mailboxes\u003cbr\u003e are not\u003cbr\u003e funny.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e bagels in mailboxes\u003cbr\u003e filled with shaving cream\u003cbr\u003e are meant to be\u003cbr\u003e rude\u003cbr\u003e like “we know you are jewish \u003cbr\u003e and we want to make your mailbox\u003cbr\u003e hard to clean.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e which is why\u003cbr\u003e when i moved to my new school in \u003cbr\u003e fourth grade and\u003cbr\u003e i heard all the last names\u003cbr\u003e being called out on the first day of school\u003cbr\u003e and none of them sounded jewish\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i didn’t tell anyone\u003cbr\u003e that i\u003cbr\u003e celebrated hanukkah.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ewe didn’t start \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e at the new\u003cbr\u003e synagogue\u003cbr\u003e until the summer after fourth grade ended.\u003cbr\u003e it took us months\u003cbr\u003e to find the perfect one.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e especially\u003cbr\u003e when there weren’t any\u003cbr\u003e close by\u003cbr\u003e like in my old town.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e the thirty-two-minute drive\u003cbr\u003e feels like double that.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e rabbi marx is goofy\u003cbr\u003e and nice\u003cbr\u003e and it kind of feels good\u003cbr\u003e hearing his voice on the \u003cbr\u003e phone\u003cbr\u003e talking to\u003cbr\u003e mom about how \u003cbr\u003e to talk to me\u003cbr\u003e about this\u003cbr\u003e thing\u003cbr\u003e that just\u003cbr\u003e happened.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003emr. dave,\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e my hebrew school teacher from \u003cbr\u003e last year,\u003cbr\u003e taught us about\u003cbr\u003e anti-semitism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e he taught us \u003cbr\u003e about how stereotypes\u003cbr\u003e grow over time\u003cbr\u003e and how jewish people have been\u003cbr\u003e blamed for different things\u003cbr\u003e throughout history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e which, \u003cbr\u003e looking back,\u003cbr\u003e made my decision to \u003cbr\u003e keep my religion a secret\u003cbr\u003e a smart choice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e mom and dad\u003cbr\u003e mr. dave\u003cbr\u003e rabbi marx\u003cbr\u003e my sunday school class,\u003cbr\u003e those are the only people\u003cbr\u003e who need to know\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e especially\u003cbr\u003e after what happened.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ei’m real glad\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e it’s the weekend\u003cbr\u003e because\u003cbr\u003e i don’t wanna be\u003cbr\u003e sitting in every\u003cbr\u003e class with every \u003cbr\u003e kid talking about\u003cbr\u003e what’s going on.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e it’s like the \u003cbr\u003e graffiti\u003cbr\u003e is about\u003cbr\u003e me\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but it’s not\u003cbr\u003e because nobody knows\u003cbr\u003e what i am\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e so why \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e does it feel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e like it’s totally \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e about me?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eour superintendent is\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e the person in charge\u003cbr\u003e and sends an email \u003cbr\u003e to parents saying\u003cbr\u003e something is happening when we get back on monday, \u003cbr\u003e we are all going to\u003cbr\u003e “come together\u003cbr\u003e to fight this\u003cbr\u003e act of cowardice.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i guess we’ll see\u003cbr\u003e what happens.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but in my head\u003cbr\u003e all i can think is:\u003cbr\u003e can a school of kids \u003cbr\u003e who didn’t even\u003cbr\u003e know \u003cbr\u003e what a swastika was\u003cbr\u003e possibly begin to get it?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e and i think a lot\u003cbr\u003e about dr. harris\u003cbr\u003e and wonder\u003cbr\u003e if she feels\u003cbr\u003e like me\u003cbr\u003e or if because she’s a grown-up\u003cbr\u003e maybe it doesn’t feel as bad?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ethe longer-than-long\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e drive \u003cbr\u003e to hebrew school\u003cbr\u003e feels like\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eone hundred\u003c\/i\u003e and thirty-two\u003cbr\u003e minutes today.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e as much as i’ve tried\u003cbr\u003e and tried \u003cbr\u003e to shut out all the\u003cbr\u003e noise,\u003cbr\u003e every hour\u003cbr\u003e brings more\u003cbr\u003e and more\u003cbr\u003e about the graffiti.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ea lot of kids in my hebrew school class\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e go to\u003cbr\u003e the jewish day school\u003cbr\u003e that’s 15 minutes\u003cbr\u003e farther from my house than\u003cbr\u003e temple beth israel (tbi for short).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e the rest go to parkward middle school\u003cbr\u003e where there’s a lot more diversity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e their\u003cbr\u003e “no place for hate”\u003cbr\u003e banners\u003cbr\u003e must mean way more than\u003cbr\u003e our school’s\u003cbr\u003e where every kid looks the same and\u003cbr\u003e believes the same things.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e it’s as if \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e the sameness \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e is what made this\u003cbr\u003e act of hate \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e possible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ems. brooke\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e my hebrew school teacher\u003cbr\u003e looks\u003cbr\u003e sad-serious\u003cbr\u003e not like her normal\u003cbr\u003e happy self.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e rabbi marx has on the same\u003cbr\u003e face as hers \u003cbr\u003e as he walks toward mom, dad, and me.\u003cbr\u003e but when he sees\u003cbr\u003e me it’s like a switch turns on\u003cbr\u003e and his smile comes quick.\u003cbr\u003e “hey, josh!”\u003cbr\u003e he fist-bumps me and i force a small smile back.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e as soon as we pass, i turn back\u003cbr\u003e and see his smile\u003cbr\u003e disappear. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e usually mom and dad don’t\u003cbr\u003e come into synagogue with me \u003cbr\u003e on sunday mornings\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e so, already it feels not-normal\u003cbr\u003e but today we are all expected to be in the sanctuary.\u003cbr\u003e and there’s no hiding.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e mr. dave leads our class in \u003cbr\u003e with the others.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e rabbi marx raises his hand high in the air and\u003cbr\u003e everyone quiets right away. i catch dad’s eyes across the room.\u003cbr\u003e he sticks his tongue out\u003cbr\u003e real quick\u003cbr\u003e and the butterflies\u003cbr\u003e stop\u003cbr\u003e for a second.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003erabbi marx says all the things you would expect\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e him to say:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e this is horrible\u003cbr\u003e we will overcome this\u003cbr\u003e we will not let history repeat itself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e even though our synagogue is thirty-two minutes\u003cbr\u003e away\u003cbr\u003e you would think it happened right here.\u003cbr\u003e i can see it on the faces of the parents.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but it didn’t happen here.\u003cbr\u003e it happened\u003cbr\u003e in my small town.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i guess\u003cbr\u003e an attack\u003cbr\u003e on some jews\u003cbr\u003e is an attack on all jews.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e no matter\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e how close or\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e how far away.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003emy class walks to our room\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e in silence.\u003cbr\u003e the adults have moved into the multi-purpose room\u003cbr\u003e to eat bagels\u003cbr\u003e and schmooze.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e max, whose jokes are usually funny, announces,\u003cbr\u003e “well that was \u003cbr\u003e awkward.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e normally, i’d laugh or roll my eyes\u003cbr\u003e but the crack\u003cbr\u003e in the wooden desk\u003cbr\u003e holds my\u003cbr\u003e stare and i wish\u003cbr\u003e i could dive down into that space\u003cbr\u003e and push out all\u003cbr\u003e my worries\u003cbr\u003e about\u003cbr\u003e going back to school tomorrow and\u003cbr\u003e “my obligation as a jew to speak up”\u003cbr\u003e and most of all\u003cbr\u003e the scared feelings in my head.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ecommunity members\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e speak out\u003cbr\u003e on the news,\u003cbr\u003e say things\u003cbr\u003e like,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “we are deeply disturbed.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “this should not\u003cbr\u003e have happened\u003cbr\u003e here.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “the perpetrators\u003cbr\u003e will be\u003cbr\u003e found and\u003cbr\u003e charged.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “we will not stand for this.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e and too many other\u003cbr\u003e woulda\u003cbr\u003e coulda\u003cbr\u003e shouldas\u003cbr\u003e to count.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ei spend part of sunday night watching the group chat\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e with my classmates\u003cbr\u003e mac, shay, christian, patrick, austin, and cassidy\u003cbr\u003e which started as a science class chat\u003cbr\u003e where we’d complain\u003cbr\u003e about too much homework\u003cbr\u003e mr. houser’s too-smelly coffee breath and his\u003cbr\u003e too-boring lectures.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e but it has blown up\u003cbr\u003e big-time and now\u003cbr\u003e they all just say the same things\u003cbr\u003e like,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “i can’t believe that happened.”\u003cbr\u003e “i can’t believe someone would do this to our school.”\u003cbr\u003e “did they catch who did it?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e i get so sick of the same words\u003cbr\u003e going round\u003cbr\u003e and round \u003cbr\u003e that i put my phone under\u003cbr\u003e my pillow\u003cbr\u003e ringer off\u003cbr\u003e trying to block it all \u003cbr\u003e out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003etoday is gonna be\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e super weird.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e the whole school\u003cbr\u003e is meeting in the auditorium.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e the only times we are\u003cbr\u003e all together like that\u003cbr\u003e are for the first day rah-rah speech\u003cbr\u003e the holiday concert\u003cbr\u003e and the last day of school\u003cbr\u003e awards ceremony.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e so that’s why\u003cbr\u003e it feels so\u003cbr\u003e strange\u003cbr\u003e odd\u003cbr\u003e weird.","brand":"Rocky Pond Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302461133029,"sku":"NP9780593532874","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593532874.jpg?v=1767739054","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-do-more-club-isbn-9780593532874","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}