Nomi Kaltmann, an Australian lawyer and journalist, writes small notes on pretty stationery for her three-year-old daughter to take to kindergarten several times a week. These notes, called mitzvah notes, praise her daughter for acts like sharing a toy, helping without being asked, or saying thank you. The Hebrew word mitzvah is often translated as a good deed, but Kaltmann describes it as an intentional act of goodness and kindness.
How mitzvah notes work in the classroom
Kaltmann's daughter proudly takes her mitzvah notes to kindergarten, where her teacher reads them aloud to the entire class. The notes are then pinned to a wall alongside other children's mitzvah notes, celebrating the good deeds of her three-year-old peers. While other children may covet stickers or prizes, Kaltmann's daughter is thrilled when she receives a mitzvah note and loves having one to take to school.
The values behind mitzvah notes
As a parent, Kaltmann spends much time thinking about the values she wants to pass on to her children. She wants them to be capable, confident, hardworking, and resilient. But most importantly, she wants them to grow into people who notice others and care about the world around them. She believes that even the smallest acts of goodness and kindness can have a ripple effect far beyond what can be seen.
Biblical inspiration for parenting
Kaltmann cites a verse from the Book of Proverbs: “Train a child according to their path, and even when they are old, they will not depart from it.” She loves this quote because it represents the idea that children grow into the identities adults help them see in themselves. When her children are reluctant to clean their rooms, she says things like, “I love when you help mummy clean up your room,” framing the request to remind them of who she thinks they are: someone who helps, cares, and tries to do the right thing.
The power of mitzvah notes
Mitzvah notes are not just about praising a single action; they are about building a mindset where children want to be noticed for their good deeds. They encourage children to look outward rather than inward and teach them that they are part of something bigger than themselves. After the Bondi terror attack, many people asked what they could do in the face of such darkness. One response was a renewed focus on acts of kindness, and a national day to perform mitzvot was announced for people of all faiths. Across Australia, people volunteered at soup kitchens, cleaned beaches, visited elderly people in nursing homes, and found small ways to be kind to others. None of those acts could undo the tragedy, but they reflected a belief that darkness spreads when people withdraw from one another, while goodness grows when people choose to do small acts of kindness.
The lasting impact of small notes
Kaltmann loves mitzvah notes because they are small notes jotted down in a minute or less, yet they carry a much bigger message. They tell a child, “I saw what you did, and I love that you are doing small acts of kindness,” and encourage them to continue. If enough children grow up believing that being kind and thoughtful is part of who they are, then those small notes are doing far more than recognising a good deed—they are helping raise the sort of people the world needs right now.
