The Lorax Project: Knitting For Trees

When Rosanne Bernard read The Lorax, the classic children's book by Dr. Seuss, to her son Evan, he realized that the Oncler, the book's villain, was an 'evil knitter' who cut down trees.

"There was a look of horror in my little boy's eyes when he became aware that Seuss' Oncler - a polluting scoundrel desecrating nature - was a knitter," said Bernard. "Evan looked at me and said, "Mum, you wouldn't do that to the Truffala trees, would you?" Yes, I had an environmentally tuned-in 5 year old, which was great, and, oh my, I had to redeem the knitters of the world in his eyes."

Rosanne resolved to turn the situation into a positive lesson about the environment and knitting. Building on a suggestion by teacher Moreh Seth for a school knitting initiative, Bernard developed The Lorax Project at Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School.

"Our Lorax Project was born out of our school's eco-minded sensibilities," said Bernard. Parents and students worked together, making 8" by 8" squares for a quilt during a weekly knitting club. Using both traditional and alternative environmentally friendly yarns, members of the Paul Penna DJDS community contributed knitted and crocheted pieces, with each artist choosing their own colours, yarn, patterning and textures. The quilt was then presented to school principal Janet Nish-Lapidus at the end of the year as a departing gift.

In keeping with The Lorax’s tree theme, the project linked with Jewish National Fund, with donors collecting more than $1,000 for the reforestation efforts of JNF.
"The project is about pluralism, inclusiveness and the mosaic that makes up our micro and macro communities," said Bernard. "It's what I love about our school, and the city and country in which we are fortunate to live."

Yasher Koach to all of the knitters and everyone who participated in raising funds for the trees.
Kol Hakavod to the following talented fibre artists for their many hours of enthusiastic creativity and labour:

Ali Aber, Debbi Arnold, Yafa Bale, Rosanne Bernard, Zoe Bernard, Cindy Bowman, Jennifer Cohen, Meredith Halpern, Tanya Kirsch, Liora Klein, Cydel Levine, Micah Maerov, Janet Nish-Lapidus, Aviva Penn, Jeremy Penn, Dena Perlmutar, Caren Rapp, Shira Rubinoff, Elana Segal, Rona Sherebrin, Jodi Tanenbaum and Osnat Yitzhak

Their efforts resulted in a rich and stunning collection that truly reflects our fabulously eclectic community.