On Sunday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jacob Talve-Goodman, whose 5-and 9-year-olds attend Saul Mirowitz Jewish Day School, is gathering volunteers to clear branches and other debris that have made the paths behind the school unusable for outdoor education.

According to Talve-Goodman, the work done on Nov. 16 will be the first phase of a 1½-year plan to make all the trails usable again.

As an undergraduate at Indiana University-Bloomington, Talve-Goodman created a program called “the soul of camping,” which focused on alternative education and spirituality in the outdoors. He hopes to gather at least 30 volunteers to clear out dead wood, clip overgrown plants and remove debris.

“It’s an amazing space that has potential for experiential education or low ropes programming and character development work,” said Talve-Goodman, who is a member of Central Reform Congregation. “I want to provide the community with a space that is safe for play and exploration.”

Emily Mae Johnson, a second-grade teacher at Mirowitz, is spearheading the effort with Talve-Goodman. She highlighted the importance of volunteer work and its impact.

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“The volunteers are helping our students explore, create and collaborate in meaningful ways. It’s a beautiful reflection of the Mirowitz community in action and a reminder of how much we can accomplish together,” she said.

She wants to create a “magical” and “welcoming” space for students who will have the opportunity to learn outside the classroom.

Talve-Goodman also wants the Jewish community to come together around this effort and “just do good” at a time when there is political division. He hopes to gather as many volunteers as possible.

“It doesn’t need a lot of work but the more people we can get to show up and help, the quicker it will go,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting out there with a bunch of friends and being outside.”

If you are interested in volunteering, you can email Jacob Talve at [email protected] or text him at 314-270-2173.