Twins Remi and Tommy, celebrated their B’nai mitzvah on 4/27/13 at Congregation Or Ami, Lafayette Hill, PA. Their mitzvah project was to raise awareness for Ovarian Cancer.
Tommy handed out teal laces to the Colonial Soccer club for teammates to wear the month of September (Get Real With Teal Campaign).
Remi created a beautiful dance with the help of amazing friends. Check the video and pics here!
submitted by Stacey Kesselman, Exceptional Events
Exceptional Events Facebook page
Imagine the feeling of going to class on a Monday morning and seeing the majority of your classmates cohesively wearing a bar mitzvah sweatshirt highlighting the weekend’s festivities and YOU are dressed in your normal garb? Makes you feel down and out knowing you were one of the very few excluded from the major celebration the past Saturday night.
The Mitzvah Bowl highly encourages families to consider INCLUSION when it comes time to planning the big simcha. Too many children, both in the unpopular crowds as well as special needs kids, experience a burst to their self esteem and self-worth when they are explicitly excluded from social events, such as a bar or bat mitzvah.
Outliers are neglected individuals who are typically overlooked when it comes time to being included in the invitee list.
Want to perform a simple meaningful mitzvah? Practice inclusion! By adding just a couple or a few more names to your party list, you can prevent a social disaster for an child who is typically overlooked.
http://www.tribejournal.com/tribe-life/bts/2013/03/room-for-one-more-2/
by Valerie and Cheryl, www.themitzvahbowl.com
Thanks to Linda Morrow Photography for permission to reprint her latest blog here about a SHUTOUT for Jordan!
In the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of photographing many Bar & Bat Mitzvahs and have met some truly amazing families. I’m not Jewish, so finding out about the Bar and Bat Mitzvah traditions has been a great learning experience. Recently I discovered that many kids that are celebrating their Bar/Bat Mitzvah also take on a special charitable project. It turns out that”mitzvah” not only means a commandment of the Jewish law, but it also means a charitable act or worthy deed.
I heard about a VERY worthy deed by 15-year old Jordan Fromm. I met his family when I photographed his sister, JAMIE’S BAT MITZVAH at the beginning of the year. His dad recently told me about the charity Jordan formed in 2009, called SHUTOUTS FOR KIDS, when he celebrated his Bar Mitzvah. So, a shutout, for those who don’t know hockey like myself, is when a goalie keeps the other team from scoring the entire game. Jordan gets donations based on how many shutouts he gets per season. To date, Jordan has raised over $30,000 to benefit the ED SNIDER YOUTH FOUNDATION and the MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION. Truly amazing!
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When Jordan’s dad called to ask if I could contribute something to the silent auction at the hockey banquet at Jordan’s school, I said OF COURSE! So if you are going to the Wissahickon High School & Middle School hockey banquet in a few weeks, be sure to bid on my family session!
If you’d like to help out Jordan’s charity, please check out WWW.SHUTOUTSFORKIDS.ORG!
by: Linda Morrow, photographer, www.lindamorrow.net
Imagine WALKing along Martin Luther King Drive with your friends, family, and neighbors with one common goal: WALKing Against Hate.
Join ADL for our third 5K WALK Against Hate on Sunday, May 19, 2013, 1-4 pm in Philadelphia!
Take part in a one-of-a-kind initiative in which people from various backgrounds are united to stand together and embrace diversity.
This is an opportunity for both youth and adults to make strides against bigotry and hatred in their communities.
The WALK is kid-friendly and will feature activities to keep everyone entertained!
The registration fee for the WALK is $10 for adults and $5 for youths.
Visit www.walkagainsthate.org, log on and form a team. Create one big team, or “compete” against friends, relatives, classmates and neighbors as to who can recruit the most WALKers or raise the most money. As the event comes closer, there were also be lots of volunteer opportunities to help at the Walk too.
Frequently, The Mitzvah Bowl website receives the same inquiry asking “How far in advance should my son (or daughter) begin working on their mitzvah project?”
We turned to local rabbis for their professional advice to validate what we thought was an appropriate timeframe. The consensus among the clergy is that a student should initiate their project at least six months prior to their simcha.
Rabbi Cynthia Kravitz of Kesher Israel Congregation, West Chester, PA agrees, “Our students begin their 20 hour Tikkun Olam/Social Action Project in the year prior to their becoming a bar/ bat mitzvah.”
Rabbi Eliot Holin, Kol Ami, Elkins Park, PA sums it up by saying “10 months out is a good starting point, but no less than 6 months out.” Part of the dialogue at Kol Ami begins 8-10 months prior with a meeting discussing mitzvah project options with their Director of Education.
Every synagogue does have a slightly different timeline, however, this infographic will summarize our findings with the majority of education directors, rabbis and cantors. We highly recommend that you consult with the appropriate contact at your own shul to guide you through the process.
As Rabbi Kravitz remarked, “ We want our students to feel the intensity of the experience in the year leading up to the simcha. It takes on an added meaning.”
Whenever your child begins the project, whether it be six months to a year prior to their big celebration, remember, it is never too early to learn about giving back to the community. This process doesn’t have to begin or end with their b’nai mitzvah! Tikkun Olam is a lifetime journey!
by Valerie Franklin & Cheryl Friedenberg, info@themitzvahbowl.com
Interested in doing volunteer work for a wonderful cause that helps children while at the same time enjoying a walk in one of Philadelphia’s most popular attractions? Join us at Philadelphia Great Strides at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, April 27, 2013 and play an integral role in the fight to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. Sign up to volunteer on walk day, register a walk team to take strides and raise funds, or volunteer your time leading up to the walk and help in the office with walk preparation. To learn more or register a team today, please go to www.cff.org/great_strides or call the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at (610) 325-6001.
Cystic Fibrosis is the most common genetic disease in the Unites States affecting about 30,000 children and adults (70,000 worldwide). It is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and obstructs the pancreas which can lead to life-threatening lung infections and problems digesting food. In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world’s leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. Their focus is to support the development of new drugs to fight the disease, improve the quality of life for those with CF, and ultimately to find a cure. Thanks to the dedication and financial backing of supporters — patients, families and friends, clinicians, researchers, volunteers, individual donors, corporations and staff, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is making a difference. Sign up to volunteer or get involved today, please go to www.cff.org/great_strides or call the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at (610) 325-6001.
Robin C. Paterson
Senior Development Director
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Delaware Valley Chapter
(610) 325-6001
Bar Mitzvah Lucas Popp (13) of Palo Alto, CA tripled his goal of starting a library in Africa by starting three! He collected, sorted, packed and mailed nearly 3,000 books to start libraries at Mabele, Isang and Khurutshe Primary Schools in Botswana through the African Library Project. Lucas collected 1,000 gently used children’s books and raised about $500 to cover the shipping costs to help start each library.
Part of becoming a member of the Jewish community today also means taking on moral responsibilities and helping to repair the world. While volunteering at Cradles to Crayons, a local charity helping needy kids in the Philadelphia area, Brendan realized that the charity was in dire need of kids’ shoes, particularly boys’ athletic shoes. As a cross country runner himself, Brendan knows about the importance of good athletic shoes. During his volunteer sessions, he was saddened that there were no shoes in the sizes needed to complete orders requested from social workers.
From the Fall of 2012, right up until his Bar Mitzvah (Temple Sinai, Dresher, PA) on 3/2/2013, Brendan collected, organized and tagged over 950 pairs of shoes that he amassed through shoe drives at various locations. Even the baskets on the bimah at his Bar Mitzvah service were filled with brand new kids’ athletic shoes that were donated to Cradles to Crayons. The Cradles to Crayons staff was extremely grateful for Brendan’s efforts and would hug our family each time we dropped off a donation of shoes.
“It was such a fulfilling project for our whole family that we decided to host a shoe drive for every Fall for years to come.” Ilene Cantos, Brendan’s mom
“Brendan’s shoe collection has really taken off! I was rummaging for the right size shoes today and was having difficulty in filling some outstanding orders, so I am very grateful to Brendan for filling the need for these hard to find items. 900+ pairs collected is truly wonderful, and so desperately needed as the weather starts to turn colder and shoes become even more important. Thank you for your vision, your hard work and your enthusiasm. Thanks to Brendan for his drive, commitment and dedication to the children we serve, and for the very efficient and thorough manner in which he conducted this great collection.”
Michal Smith, Executive Director, Cradles to Crayons cradlestocrayons.org
Are you looking for a mitzvah project? We can help you – to help others!
Cystic Fibrosis awareness and fundraising for medical advancements in the treatment of this genetic disease.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a chronic, progressive disease that affects the lungs and digestive system, as well as a multitude of other organ systems. Living with CF involves breathing treatments, multiple medications, frequent infections and recurrent hospital stays.
There are 30,000 people with CF in the United States and 70,000 worldwide. CF AND TAY
SACHS ARE THE MOST COMMON FATAL GENETIC DISEASES AMONG ASHKENAZI
JEWS.
Emily’s Entourage is named for Emily, an amazing local young Jewish woman who is fighting
this debilitating disease with determination and courage. The organization was started by
her family in effort to support current research that might save her, and many others—if
progress is made in time. To meet Emily and her family, visit www.emilysentourage.org
Please join Emily’s Entourage (EE) and help leverage the power of community to
make a difference in the fight against CF.
Here are some mitzvah project ideas:
1. B’nai Mitzvah with Meaning, Raising Awareness and Funds
(Consider any of the following)
2. Play it Forward, A Fee-for-Entrance Sports Tournament
3. Create for a Cure, A Group Craft Project
4. Car Wash for a Cure
5. Entertaining for Emily, Offer your Services to Raise Funds for EE
6. Take a Breather for Emily: A Fun Day Out at a Nail Salon, Yoga Studio or a Similar Venue
Come up with your own project idea! 
Emily’s Entourage is so grateful for your willingness to consider a project on behalf of Emily. Please let us know what you would like to do as we are glad to help!
Contact: Liza Kramer www.emilysentourage.org or 610-664-3252
Click here 
to read an article in MedPageToday about how teen volunteering is a heart-healthy activity!
On March 24, join over 150 volunteer packers and drivers at Temple Sinai in Dresher, that will help over 500 needy, elderly and isolated Jewish seniors celebrate Passover. Each recipient will receive two fully stocked bags of groceries that will provide enough food for the Passover Seder and the week of Passover.
From 8 am until 10 am volunteers will help pack over 1000 bags of Kosher for Passover food including, chicken, eggs, matzah, gefilte fish, coffee and much much more. Then over 100 volunteer drivers and their families will deliver to recipients all over the Greater Philadelphia region with most of the deliveries in Northeast Philadelphia.
www.relayforlife.org/pawv
480 Norristown Road, Suite 150 Blue Bell, PA 19422
Contact: Eileen Quinn, Income Development Representative, 888.202.1487×65122, eileen.quinn@cancer.org
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.
Relay For Life is a celebration of survivorship – an occasion to express hope and our shared goal to end a disease that threatens the lives of so many people we love. There are many ways you can get involved with Relay For Life event as a mitzvah project or teen volunteer. The journey to end cancer starts with a single step. The American Cancer Society invites you to take that step with us by joining the global Relay For Life movement by forming a team. When you walk to end cancer at a Relay event, it’s your opportunity to not only honor cancer survivors and remember loved ones lost, but also to raise awareness about what we can do to stay well from cancer and raise money to help fuel the world’s largest walk to end cancer.
May 1, 2010 was an Internet birthday, which Cheryl Friedenberg and Valerie Franklin remember well. Their baby, www.themitzvahbowl.com, was launched in the Philadelphia area and its suburbs. Since then, the website has grown into a mature, finely tuned resource for tweens and teens searching for mitzvah projects.
“Initially our goal was to help kids find mitzvah projects with which they would be excited to volunteer, and now the site has evolved into so much more. Social media (via Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook) has taken our site to a whole new level. Students all over the country are using our site to find out what others are doing for their mitzvah projects which inspires them to create their own,” states co-founder, Friedenberg.
One such student named Jessica, from Washington D.C., was inspired by themitzvahbowl.com to create her own mitzvah project. She and her family coordinated and delivered Purim packages to homeless shelters, nursing homes and to the Jewish Chaplain at Andrews Air Force Base. Jessica’s reaction to her project, “Wow! There are so many in need and puts smiles on people’s faces. Can we make more this year and make a lot more next year?”
“Blogging about non-profit volunteer opportunities, individual student projects and other ‘good deed’ resources gives our site even more quality content”, continues Franklin. ”The Mitzvah Bowl is all about helping tweens, teens and families find an appropriate volunteer opportunity they will stick with for the long-term.”
When their own children were searching for mitzvah projects, the suburban moms stumbled upon the concept for a website, which acts as a clearinghouse for all bar/bat mitzvah students. They realized most synagogues emphasized only a handful of similar mitzvah projects and wanted to find their kids unique mitzvah projects, which would also hold their interest. After surveying local Rabbis, the duo quickly understood that this was their calling. As religious institutions communicate to their congregants through the advances of technology, www.themitzvahbowl.com takes their wired family members into this realm with ease. “Themitzvahbowl.com is an incredibly helpful resource that I provide to every student in search of a mitzvah project. By directing them to the website I can be sure that I am providing them with trustworthy, local opportunities to engage in tikkun olam in their particular areas of interest.” Comments Rabbi David Gerber of Congregation Beth Or, Maple Glen, PA.
Today, after two and a half years as mitzvah project experts, Franklin & Friedenberg list over 125 non-profits on their site. A requirement for the non-profits is that they go ‘beyond fundraising’. Franklin elaborates, “We want tweens and teens to experience a true mitzvah project by becoming involved with the non-profit or its recipients. Just fundraising or collecting items is a start but we find teens have the potential to grasp onto something that’s more than just a temporary good deed.”
A new audience for Themitzvahbowl.com is high school students. “Most high school programs have added a community service component for graduating seniors and our website is a perfect match for their search. “The Mitzvah Bowl gives our students the opportunity to improve themselves through community service. It allows them to give of their time and make a difference,” points out Mike Gallagher, Community Service Coordinator at Methacton High School, Eagleville, PA.
High school counselors are spreading the word to their students who are wired and ready to find a meaningful volunteer opportunity, “ remarks Friedenberg.
“The Mitzvah Bowl is the go-to site for ideas and inspiration for all faiths on ways to improve the world.” Simone A. Bernstein, co-founder, President VolunTEENnation.org
Contact: Cheryl Friedenberg & Valerie Franklin info@themitzvahbowl.com
We all know someone who has been touched by cancer—and we all know the frustrating feeling of helplessness that this disease evokes. But there is something we can do to fight back—something engaging, empowering and downright fun. That something is the Relay For Life.
As the primary source of American Cancer Society funds, the Relay For Life is a national and international movement that takes place in well over five thousand communities nationwide. We are fortunate enough to have one of these events taking place right here in our own community—the Wissahickon Valley Relay For Life, which will be held at Upper Dublin High School from 4 pm, Friday, May 17th to 4 pm, Saturday, May 18th.
Relay For Life is an event that brings together a community to show its support for the fight against cancer, to remember those who have died and to celebrate cancer survivors. Teams of friends and family members take turns walking around the high school track to demonstrate their commitment to creating a world with less cancer. Some teams, particularly student ones, even choose to camp out overnight. Throughout the day and evening, there are moving ceremonies, goofy contests and great local entertainment. To view a short clip of the Relay experience, click here.
How can you get involved in this inspirational event? Join with family and friends to start a Relay For Life team. Teams form prior to Relay, generally during the winter or very early spring, to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Another possibility is to volunteer to help out on the day of Relay with the many tasks involved in running such a large community event. Finally, there is the opportunity to perform at Relay: those who have talents to share, such as singing, dancing or playing in a band, are invited to inquire about available entertainment time slots.
Regardless of how you choose to participate in the Relay For Life, it is simply inspiring to be part of a community that is taking up the fight against a disease that has taken so much from so many.
Contacts: Jodi Benjamin (planning committee member and local Relay For Life volunteer), bjls@comcast.net, 215-793-4097 and Eileen Quinn (American Cancer Society staff member), eileen.quinn@cancer.org, 404-329-5122
100 S Broad St, Suite 1400, Philadelphia PA 19110
Contact: Casey Venella, Assistant to the President, casey@backonmyfeet.org, 215 772-1080
Back on My Feet (BoMF), launched in Philadelphia in 2007, is a national nonprofit organization that uses running to help those experiencing homelessness change the way they see themselves so they can make real change in their lives that results in employment and independent living. The organization creates a community built on the very profound and innate desire for all of us to feel recognized, appreciated and supported. Back on My Feet does not provide food nor shelter, but instead provides coaching, resources, financial aid, job training and access to employment opportunities. The organization has chapters in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, Indianapolis, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Atlanta and New York City, with Austin launching January 28, 2013. The organization plans to expand to the west coast in 2013 and has received media support including attention from NBC Nightly News, ABC World News, CNN and The Today Show for its ingenuity in tackling this difficult social issue. More information can be found at backonmyfeet.org.
Description of volunteer opportunity or mitzvah project: Run with any one of our teams in the 10 cities we are located (Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Dallas, Indianapolis, New York City, Atlanta and Austin) three mornings a week or we have opportunities to fund raise for BoMF.
It started last autumn when Alyssa Chadow, a teacher at the California School for the Blind (CSB), had the idea of doing a fundraiser. With more than 85 students, CSB educates children from different backgrounds who suffer from multiple disabilities in addition to blindness. The students of CSB are similar to our students in Israel, which is why Alyssa ended up choosing Keren Or for their fundraiser.
Alyssa decided to dedicate the month of February to a fundraising Game-A-Thon. She suggested a pledge of fifty cents per game, and allowed sponsors to give more. During the month, 22 sponsored games were played by the high school students, raising $79 for Keren Or. Alyssa said this experience began to “bring out the best in people.” She observed the genuine interest the project elicited, not only from her students but from the community around her as well. One student was so proud of what they had done for Keren Or that he became their PR person and would ask Alyssa every day how much money they had earned!
Alyssa believes it is meaningful for her students to know they are not alone and that there are others around the world going through the same things they are. Some of these children come from schools where they were often one of the only blind or mentally disabled persons in their school. Now they are around others every day who share their unique abilities and disabilities and learn from role models such as Alyssa, who is visually impaired herself.
Alyssa says she teaches her class with “an iron hand” and uses some “tough love” from time to time. She believes the students could not survive on their own otherwise. She has become an inspiring example to them, especially to the ones who say to her, “I can’t do this,” to which she immediately answers, “Yes, you can, and I am going to show you how.” Alyssa teaches these children how to do things for themselves through tasks such as learning how to use a stapler, tying their shoes, and finding the bathroom on their own. Not only does Alyssa teach her students their daily lessons; she implements her belief that teaching does not stop with the classroom. “This care is expensive and is “difficult, and not for the faint-hearted. You need to come in with a level of commitment or you will burn out,” she says.
Alyssa adds that it is her dream to one day visit and volunteer at the Keren Or Center in Jerusalem. Alyssa believes that Keren Or is a unique place, and hopes to make her Game-A-Thon a tradition in her classroom every year around Tu b’Shvat, the time of tree planting and growth. “Fundraising strengthens the roots that will help the tree of Keren Or grow and flourish.”
Mission - Keren Or aims to provide education and rehabilitation programs for children who are blind with multiple disabilities. It is the only center of its kind in the world under Jewish auspices devoted exclusively to this population. Keren Or aims to limit the economic burden on families and relies on funds from the state, local municipalities, and generous donors. Keren Or’s facilities, dedicated staff, and individualized therapy programs allow each student to reach his or her maximum potential.
Themitzvahbowl.com, Keren-Or.org
Jaclyn Barzvi, Keren Or, Inc., 350 7th Ave. Ste 701, New York, NY 10001, 212-279-4070
Saras-smiles.org
1349 Lindsay Lane Meadowbrook, PA 19046
Contact: Jen Burke, Founder/President, (267)287-8244, saras-smiles@comcast.net
Sara’s Smiles Foundation was created extend a loving hand to hospital-bound children who are battling cancer. Our mission is to help create a positive atmosphere and upbeat experiences. We want to make happy memories for all children who are struggling with cancer by providing a variety of resources to entertain, comfort, and educate. Our website, www.saras-smiles.org, helps both the family in the hospital as well as the family at home with a variety of resources. We also distribute “Inspiration Kits” to hospital-bound pediatric oncology patients. Each kit is filled with items that help families stay organized, connect with others, and explore creative ways to encourage smiles.
Mitzvah project and teen volunteer opportunities include:
1) Organize a drive for arts and crafts supplies, toys, and games
2) Hold a fundraiser such as a walk, bake sale, car wash, yard sale, dance party, etc. Be creative and have fun with it!
3) Join our team, Team Sara’s Smiles at the fall annual Philadelphia Parkway Run. For more information check out www.parkwayrun.com.
4) Volunteer at our annual plant sale, held the week before Mother’s Day.
5) Sell Sara’s Smiles bracelets, t-shirts, pins, and/or magnets to raise money and create awareness. (We’ll supply the materials you need for this.)
Dave & Buster’s Plymouth Meeting is here to help you and your family plan an event to be remembered… as well as celebrated! Whether you are looking to host a formal, informal or unique party- Dave & Buster’s is the venue for you! We have the ability to close our entire facility private for your group or offer our 7000 square foot private event space that comes with a private bar, restrooms, full access to AV equipment and great space to transport your themed event into a reality.
Our facility is multi-leveled with the best feature of all on the lower level… The Million Dollar Midway full of Arcade Games! Let us plan your event to include amazing custom buffets (inquire about Kosher Catering), and entertainment with a mix of our fun gaming as well as DJs, Photo booths and awesome vendors! A unique venue with a lifetime of memories!
Contact: Rocco Cascio, Dave & Buster’s
500 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, 610-832-9200
Disclaimer: Dave & Buster’s is a paid sponsor of www.themitzvahbowl.com website. The above posting does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Mitzvah Bowl, LLC.
4301 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite ML-1, Washington, DC 20008
Contact: Anna Morozovsky, Sr. Manager of Individual Giving, (650) 389-9562, amorozovsky@kaboom.org
KaBOOM! is a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America’s children.
Our mission is to create great play spaces through the participation and leadership of communities. Ultimately, we envision a place to play within walking distance of every child in America. There is a Play Deficit in America and it is harming our children. We fight this deficit by constructing innovative kid-inspired playspaces, sharing our knowledge and tools, and building a national movement to save play.
Opportunities for teen mitzvah and volunteer projects:
Every year we build roughly 200 new playgrounds in one-day in communities across the country. Each playground project requires the help of 200 community volunteers. Join us to help put up a new playground in a neighborhood near you!
Become a ‘play’ advocate: Pledge to save play or help spread the word about how play is important in a child’s growth and development. Learn about Play Deserts and how they affect a neighborhood’s children.
Sisters Rose and Rory Glantz chose FIDF for a mitzvah project for their B’not Mitzvah. As Rory told us, “I want to fundraise for the FIDF for my mitzvah project because it will help the Israeli soldiers. Israel is the Jewish homeland and I have good friends there. It adds even greater meaning that my brother, Rafi, is in the IDF. He is a lone soldier, so he doesn’t have any actual family in Israel. Fundraising for the FIDF could help tons of other young men and women and their families in this situation too.”
FIDF Programs benefit Israel’s soldiers and their families, for instance there is a Lone Soldiers Program that help young soldiers like Rory and Rose’s brother who enlisted in the Israeli army as a U.S. citizen. Other Programs include: medical support for wounded soldiers, educational scholarships to disadvantaged combat soldiers, and food vouchers for those in need. From bake sales to selling FIDF bracelets, every fundraising activity will count!
To see how bar/bat mitzvah students can help Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces, go to Friends of IDF mitzvah project ideas.
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Light up your holiday season with the act of giving. You’ll find that going out of your way for others is the best gift. No matter what holiday you celebrate, this is the perfect time of year to teach children to think of those who are less fortunate than themselves.
For Hannukah, pick at least one day to give your children the opportunity to go shopping for another child who is underprivileged. Reach out to a shelter or contact your school’s guidance counselor and inquire if there is a wish list for a family in need. Take the time to allow your children to pick out what they feel would best fulfill the wishes of another child and watch their self-esteem blossom and smile emerge when they wrap THEIR gift for someone they learn is not able to afford a present.
Don’t have any interest in shopping with the crowds? Than take the time to volunteer with your kids at a soup kitchen or an elderly care facility. Have your child bake goodies for a shelter or bring games to play with a lonely senior.
Whatever you do as the cold rushes in, take the time with your children to warm the hearts of others. Involve your kids. Allow them to choose their mitzvah project. Permit them to be creative. Enjoy your holidays with your loved ones and help someone else feel loved.
Read here about what this family did to light up some children’s holidays.
By Valerie Franklin, Co-Founder, www.themitzvahbowl.com, info@themitzvahbowl.com
Looking do to do a mitzvah Christmas Day? Consider being a JRAid Tuna Brigade Leader. Create signs and emails to let your synagogue, school, club, or organization know that you will be collecting kosher cans of tuna. Materials can then be distributed before or after the New Year. As an alternative, consider making December 25th you collection day. People can leave bags of tuna for you to pick up at their homes or they can drop them off at your location.
JRA will be closed on Christmas Day, but you can drop off your collection at the JRA warehouse on any of its food distribution days.
Collected tuna will directly benefit JRA’s recipient families. As an brigade leader, you will need to make sure that all the tuna collected are kosher, not in bulk size, and are not expired.
To become a JRAid Tuna Brigade Leader, visit www.jraid.org/gigs/1745
For more mitzvah and volunteer ideas from Jewish Relief Agency, go to JRAid’s post on www.themitzvahbowl.com.
Contact: Melissa Samen, JRAid Program Director, melissa@jewishrelief.org, 610-660-0190, x104
Through daily communications with varied non-profits and teen volunteers, several trends have recently emerged in the field of teen volunteering. We’ve highlighted our top three:
1. SOCIAL: A recent DoSomething.org study revealed that 93% of young people wanted to volunteer, but most would not pursue the idea any further. It showed that teens who have more engaged social lives are more likely to volunteer. HuffPost10/27/12
2. TEENAGE VOLUNTEERS: The most energetic way to kick up a fundraising or volunteering campaign is to enlist high school teen volunteers to do the job. Not only will students work towards their senior year’s community service credits, they will give to a cause with invigorating and fresh ideas, team passion and pinpointed focus to an organization’s task at hand. Many resources are available to find volunteer opportunities which fits an individual teen’s interests. Most recently, a group of high school students raised over $80K by hosting a mini-Dance Marathon benefiting Penn State’s THON.
3. IN STYLE: Faith Bower, NY Fashion Trends Editor of theMAGAZINE states in a recent Examiner.com article, “The trend right now is compassion, and giving, and kindness. The fashion is wellies and workgloves. The in thing is to think of others and help them through a period that is sure to be fraught with tension and expense. Give thanks for what you have…then share it. You’ll be totally fashion forward.”
By Cheryl Friedenberg, Co-Founder www.themitzvahbowl.com, info@themitzvahbowl.com
The week started with Mobile Thursday, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday,Cyber Monday and now, in its premier year, there’s Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday encourages charitable giving as well as acts of kindness and good deeds.
What are you doing today, November 27, 2012 for your first Giving Tuesday? Email info@themitzvahbowl.com with your #givingtuesday stories.
TEENS SHARE THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN ATID
JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL OF GRATZ COLLEGE’S
INTERGENERATIONAL INCLUSION PROGRAM
ATID (Advocacy, Transitions, Involvement and Development), is an intergenerational inclusion program for all teens. In addition to celebrating the Jewish holidays as a community, the teens together with the elderly residents of Sunrise of Dresher work on Judaic craft and cooking projects, participate in games and engage in discussions on various thought-provoking topics.
“When I think back on my experiences at ATID, I feel proud that I was able to be part of something so great.” MN
Why choose ATID?
“I’ve always dreamed of being close with an older person because I feel as if they have so much knowledge and wisdom. Through the ATID program, this dream could become a reality.” MN
“I chose to do ATID for numerous reasons, the strongest of which was a wish to give back. I wished and I still do to make someone’s life just a little bit brighter by going out of my way to help them. My choice to do ATID was a continuation of this wish…” HK
Is ATID different from other volunteer programs?
“The ATID program has been a really different experience for me. Before beginning this class, I had never really spent a lot of time with elderly people or kids my own age with special needs. I have had so many great experiences spending time with both of these groups of extraordinary people.” MP
“ATID is very different from the other volunteer programs that I have also been involved with. When I first started ATID last year, I did not expect it to be so relaxed and free flowing…ATID not only has a volunteer aspect incorporated into the program, but it also explores and dips into the different holidays of Judaism in many different aspects.” MN
“ATID is original in the way that we help. We do not feed people who cannot afford food or educate people on all the things that people do to hurt each other. Rather we listen and we talk and we work together to learn and possibly make life better for one another. ATID is not a program where you simply give, we all learn from each other as well.” HK
How did experiences at ATID make you feel?
“Every week they (the Sunrise senior citizens) would open up to me more and we would have so much to talk about, forming an even stronger connection. I loved talking with them, telling them about myself and my family while listening to their fantastic stories and the things they remembered from their childhood. …I also enjoyed looking around the table as we did projects and seeing the smiling faces of both the residents and the Gratz students. It would warm my heart and that memory to me is what this experience was all about.” SF
“It is a great feeling knowing that I am contributing to something that these senior citizens cherish so much and so often look forward to. .. and it shows by how bright their faces become when they walk in the door to our class….. It is a wonderful feeling to know that you are giving someone something that they have been internally longing for. Walking into Sunrise always feels very welcoming and warm. .. . I know everyone there cares for me and enjoys my presence and that is what keeps me coming back year after year. … There is nothing, so far in the course of my life, that has been able to make me feel this way….It has never once not felt like home to me and I strongly feel that through doing volunteer work such as this, I find a beautiful place in life for myself.” MN
What have you learned from participation in ATID?
“ATID has been very valuable to me, I’ve learned the realities of old age, good, and bad, and I only hope that if I reach that age that there will be someone to listen to me the way I now listen to others.” HK
“Judaism teaches us that respecting elderly is an important obligation of all of the community. These people are not to be pushed out and hidden but embraced, loved, and respected.” MP
“All in all I thought that this program taught me a lot about myself, about how to interact with different people and how to handle all different situations. I learned a lot, and I took away a lot of great memories and lessons. SF
In what way is ATID an Inclusion Program?
“By helping the special needs kids who come to ATID work with the elderly not only do I help the elderly but it enables me to help the other kids help the elderly, empowering them and helping them to make a difference in the lives of others even as I try to make a difference in their lives. A society is judged on how it treats its elders and those of its citizens who are least able to take care of themselves. By looking at the ATID program I hope that our Jewish society would be judged well.” MP
What will you remember?
“Thursday night classes with ATID are something I will never forget. I have been able to learn new information, form bonds, and create a family within ATID. It is my sincere hope that all of you out there who have the opportunity become involved with ATID…. And, as I like to say, being able to volunteer, especially at Sunrise Assisted Living in Dresher, I have truly found a place for myself in the world.” MN
“In Hebrew, “atid” means future. But, in truth, what is the future if we don’t learn from the past. Every person has a story to share, and the elderly especially have many experiences that the younger generation can learn from. I am glad that I decided to participate in this program, and I hope that it continues to grow and more … students become involved.” SR
Contact: Andrea Oxman, Director, Special Needs Programs
The Jewish Community High School of Gratz College
aoxman@gratz.edu 215.635.7300 x 222
www.gratz.edu/jchs, www.facebook.com/gratzjchs
The Warm Winter Campaign from Yashar LaChayal
The Warm Winter Campaign is an annual project of Yashar LaChayal, a non-profit organization based in Israel that works to provide combat soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces with goods they need that the army budget simply does not cover. Among those goods is essential winterwear.
Israel’s hot summers are misleading, making it difficult to imagine just how cold the winter can be. Soldiers are serving on the Golan Heights and in high elevation areas face freezing and near freezing temperatures, winds and rain. Soldiers in the south face freezing nights, despite the relatively pleasant, but short, winter days. Guard duty, patrols and exercises are carried out around the clock, and proper outerwear is a necessity. Barracks and tents may not have proper heating, and so even “indoors,” there is no relief from the cold.
Soldiers are issued standard jackets, and some soldiers are able some outerwear from home. However, there are regulations about the outerwear that is permitted, and not everyone has the financial means to purchase the necessary items, nor are they all readily available. In order to cope with extended periods of time outdoors in the dropping temperatures, the wind and the rain, soldiers need heavy fleece jackets, thermal undergarments, wool hats, neck warmers, warm socks and special army gloves.
Yashar LaChayal begins to plan for the winter in August, assessing where the most critical need will be when winter arrives. Since 2006, we have distributed tens of thousands of these items – the winter wear that is not standard issue by the army but is a necessity nonetheless.
Individuals can partner with Yashar LaChayal and raise money for the Warm Winter Campaign! Please email us at info@yasharlachayal.org for additional information. We recommend that you visit our website to see a complete listing of our projects and campaigns.
Lisa Weinsoff
Project Coordinator
www.yasharlachayal.org
Like us on facebook!
www.facebook.com/yasharlachayal
Following Up on Paige’s Mitzvah Project..
Paige Florin, eighth grader at Sandy Run Middle School, completed her mitzvah project on Sunday September 23rd, with the Upper Dublin Free Heart Screening. Paige has been fundraising for this event for almost a year, as each screening costs more than $10,000 . Although the Sudmans, the founders of Simon’s Fund, had told Paige that it was not as important to raise the money as to get the kids to come out for the screenings, Paige felt an obligation to try to raise money, so that the screenings can continue. It started with a Valentine’s Day fundraiser at Sandy Run, in combination with a nickles for non-profits program through Wholefoods markets, fundraising event at B”tween Friendz and ended with very generous contributions from the people from the Upper Dublin and surrounding communities who attended the heart screening. Over 300 students were screened, and as we were told, 1 out of every 100 screenings usually picks up one serious cardiac condition , At this screening there was one child diagnosed with a serious heart condition, and three more with potential conditions. “this was such a great project”, Paige said, “what better mitzvah than saving lives” If you are interested in getting your kids screened please see www.simonsfund.org for future screening dates and locations.
ORIGINAL POST BELOW: 8/22/12
Paige Florin, a student at Sandy Run Middle School in Upper Dublin, is doing a mitzvah project that involves saving lives. She has chosen to work with Simon’s Fund to set up a free heart screening for Upper Dublin community students ages 10-19 on September 23 at Upper Dublin High School. Pre-registration for this screening is required and will begin on August 15 online at www.simonsfund.org.
These heart screenings are done in memory of Simon Sudman, a 4 month old baby, who died suddenly from Long QT syndrome. Long QT Syndrome is a disorder that many people may be unfamiliar with, but it is a very serious heart condition where the first symptom may unfortunately show up too late. Although sometimes there is no evidence of symptoms; dizziness, shortness of breath or fainting, often exhibited during physical activity, may be cause for concern. The good news is that a quick non–invasive electrocardiogram (ECG) can detect the problem. If Long QT syndrome is found, it is treatable. These tests currently are not given in any routine physical, but yet are so important in potential detection of Long QT as well as other serious heart conditions. Simon’s Fund is a foundation that sets up free heart screenings in schools utilizing CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) physicians, to ensure that kids are heart-healthy. Each screening will take about 30 minutes.
This was made possible through the help of a donation through Whole Foods Market, as well as a donation generated through Paige’s Valentine’s Day fundraising efforts at Sandy Run Middle School. Although these school screenings are done at no cost the students, each school screening costs approximately $2500. If you are interested in helping to support more screenings at schools please go to http://simonsfund.donorpages.com/give/PaigeFlorin
Most importantly, please Remember to pre-register starting August 15th at www.simonsfund.org for the free heart screening on September 23. Paige will be getting her heart screened on that day as well.
For my mitzvah project, I chose to work at the Pennypack Farm and Education Center this summer. Local produce was harvested and maintained so that shareholder’s of all income levels can enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables. While at the farm I learned that local food banks and farmer’s markets are supplemented from the farm’s crops. By volunteering my time, it enabled some of the elderly shareholders to stay home and be cool on days that they’d otherwise have to work in the 100 degree heat. I spent 20 hours with the farmers and the other volunteers during the month of July and look forward to joining the farm with my family next year.
By Michelle Borochaner, Bat Mitzvah in Fall, 2012
371 East Jericho Turnpike Smithtown, NY 11787
Contact: Jaime McGrade, Community Fundraising/Events Manager jaime@guidedog.org, 631-930-9054
Since 1946, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. has provided guide dogs free of charge to blind people who seek enhanced mobility and independence.
Our students come to us from all over the United States and many foreign countries. Our trademark small classes and individualized instruction often attract students who may have special requirements. We have successfully trained hearing-impaired blind people as well as many physically challenged people.
We are supported entirely by donations from generous individuals, corporations and foundations. We receive no government funding.
In 2009, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind became the first assistance dog school in the United States to be certified by the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International.
Our mission is to provide guide dogs, free of charge, to people who are blind or visually impaired.
Description of mitzvah project or community service volunteer opportunity: To help us raise funds by hosting an event such as a car wash, bake sale or gala, etc. Dog toy/bones collection, from an approved list only, is welcomed. Community outreach volunteers play a crucial role in spreading awareness of our need for puppy raisers by visiting local businesses and asking them to hang recruitment posters on our behalf.
We encourage our kids to excel in school academically, to try their hardest at sports, to be socially active, and yet, how many parents take the time to push their children to do good deeds?
For bar and bat mitzvahs, we spend the time ordering everything from invitations to arranging the dj or band. We buy nice clothes for the family and we take our kids to their Hebrew lessons. Yet, sometimes in the midst of our chaotic lives, while preparing for this momentous occasion, the entire purpose of actually performing a mitzvah gets shoved under the rug while preparing for this life-changing celebration.
We need to actively teach our children to become mensches. They need to find the time to turn off the television, put away their ipods, stop the texting and take a look around their community.
There are so many rewarding opportunities waiting for our teens. We, as parents, educators and leaders, need to guide our youth to make a difference in the world.
Doing mitzvot or getting involved in community service projects, enhances not only our kids self-esteem as leaders, they discover what it’s like to care about something other than themselves. Children learn how to communicate face-to-face when organizing fundraisers. They develop skills such as time management and learn how to prioritize tasks.
Making time for academics and sports is crucial; but don’t forget to make time to teach your children about the world around them. Find the time to drive them to a senior citizen home to play an instrument. Find time to take them to a park to help plant or weed a bed. Find time to collect food for the hungry and deliver packages to those in need. If we want to create well-rounded children, start by teaching them to be concerned about something meaningful and guide them to get involved in their community. You may just be surprised what a difference one child can make when they put their mind towards something! We need to empower our youth to become passionate citizens.
by Valerie Franklin, Co-Founder of www.themitzvahbowl.com
P.O. Box 61, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444
Contact: Darren Sudman, darren@simonsfund.org 6106626948
Simon’s Fund mission is to save a child’s life and then another by raising awareness about heart conditions that lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death.
Cardiac arrest isn’t just an adult thing. It takes the lives of thousands of children every year. By providing heart screenings, funding research, advocating for legislation, establishing a national registry, educating parents and coaches, and hosting fun kid’s events, Simon’s Fund is doing everything it can to help save little lives.
There are many mitzvah project and community service opportunities to get involved with Simon’s Fund. Many students have hosted a heart screening for their school. Others have participated in our annual Valentine’s Day Cookie Drive. This fall, another student is hosting a chess tournament to raise money for heart screenings. If you have an idea, bring it!
3510 Scotts Lane, Suite 3014 Philadelphia, PA 19129
Contact: Barbara Chandler Allen, CEO, bcallen@freshartists.org, cell: 215-920-3317 or studio: 267-331-8614
Fresh Artists mission is to promote access for all children to the transformative self-expression of art making and philanthropy. We do this by engaging children as full partners in philanthropy, by widely exhibiting children’s’ artwork in highly visible and unexpected places and by providing art supplies and innovative art programs to children in severely under-resourced public schools.
A mitzvah project or community service project to support Fresh Artists includes a Clothesline Art Sale.
Clothesline Art Sales are self-guided service projects and fundraisers for young people, encouraging youth-based philanthropy and creativity. Any individual child or groups of children can make art, hold a simple Clothesline Art Sale in their backyard, at their temple, at their school or on their stoop. They then donate the money raised at the sale to Fresh Artists (a 501-c-3) who will purchase and deliver critically-needed art supplies to a local under-resourced inner city public school in their name. Participating kids take great pride in the amount of ownership they have over their Sale and find the outcome extremely rewarding, helping to support art making in their community’s most severely under-resourced public schools. All materials for planning and holding a “Clothesline” are available free of charge, including a step by step checklist from start to finish, easily understandable by youngsters, with downloadable Sale graphics, lesson plans for making some of our signature art projects and guidance and support from Fresh Artists’ staff. A visit to the Fresh Artists Print Studio is inspirational and fun for the young organizer. It is an upbeat, visually-exciting, fun project with a clearly defined goal and deliverable. There are opportunities for the young organizer to personally make a check presentation at the Fresh Artists Studio, but not necessary. Please call or email us to get started!
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