Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah Tribute page

Bnot Mitzvah from LaMerchav School Celebrate at Yad Sarah
Always take a FIRST look at what our friends at the USA can do for you AND ARE DOING FOR US  -HERE

Rachel, Achvah, Efrat and Racheli, students at LaMerchav School in Petach Tikvah, came with their friends to Yad Sarah in Jerusalem to celebrate their Bat Mitzvah.  As part of the “Bat Mitzvah Program” in the Visitors’ Center at Yad Sarah, the girls toured many of the facilities including the Emergency Alarm Center, the Department for Lending Medical Equipment, the Guidance and Exhibition Center and the Play Center for children with special needs.  They viewed a film on Yad Sarah and participated in a discussion regarding mutual assistance and performing deeds of loving-kindness, with the conclusion from the discussion being that everyone has the ability to bring about social change.  After the educational portion of the visit, the girls had the opportunity to do some hands-on volunteer work by repairing wheelchairs and readying them for transfer to the various Yad Sarah branches throughout the country.  To complete the experience, the girls all had lunch together with a Bat Mitzvah celebration that included a program of singing and dancing.

 

The “Bat Mitzvah Program” is one of the programs offered by the Visitors’ Center to familiarize visitors with the home and community services provided by Yad Sarah and demonstrate the power of volunteers and donors to effect social changes.

Chanan Ben-Tal`s Project
Chanan Ben-Tal, of Nofei Aviv, Beit Shemesh, decided to that  his Bar Mitzvah would benefit someone other than himself, he decided, and credits his school, Yeshivat Nachshon, for his decision.  "We learned about the importance of helping others in honor of our own Bar Mitzvahs.  It's a way of making sure that not only the Bar Mitzvah boy benefits from the event." 

The person Chanan chose as his Bar Mitzvah beneficiary was Mordechai Avtalyon. 

Mordechai is thirty-two years old and suffers from Muscular Dystrophy, a debilitating, progressive muscle disorder.  Mordechai uses an electric wheelchair and breathes via a ventilator. However, despite his intelligence, Mordechai has been unable to use a computer independently for almost two years due to lack of movement in his hands or any other part of his body other than his head.  Instead, he relies on his caretaker to do all of the work on the keyboard and mouse for him.  This far from ideal situation greatly compromises Mordechai's independence.

After contacting the Karten Computer Accessibility Center of Yad Sarah, a computer accessibility assessment was conducted in Mordechai's home and a Head Mouse was proposed as the optimal computer accessibility solution for him.  This special computer mouse works via an infra-red sensor, which is placed on top of the computer screen, and a reflective sticker that is placed on the patient's forehead. The user's head movements activate the movement of the cursor anywhere within the screen. This special piece of equipment, together with the use of a"Dwell Clicking" software program that activates the mouse button clicks, and an on-screen virtual keyboard, allow Mordechai to have total control of his computer. As a result, he has the ability to independently type, surf the internet, and play computer games.
"When I heard Mordechai's story I decided to make him my Bar Mitzvah project." Chanan says.  Chanan himself is an enthusiastic computer user and so he was especially appreciative of the independence that the Head Mouse would bring to Mordechai's life.  "It can open a whole new world for him," he said.  
For weeks, Chanan worked on collecting the money for his project.  He prepared informational brochures for distribution amongst his parents' friends and spoke to numerous neighbors and acquaintances.  Close to Pesach time Chanan reached a sum of 5500 NIS.  He then handed the money over to Yad Sarah so that a laptop computer and Head Mouse could be purchased.  After Pesach, once all of the special programs were installed, Chanan and his mother went to Mordechai's house to present him with the special gift.
Mordechai's comments on the gift are difficult to determine due to his speech impairment, however his immediate take to the computer is proof of his overwhelming excitement for the gift.  As soon as the Yad Sarah rehabilitation staff installed the system, he went straight to work.  Yad Sarah workers are going to be there during the initial stages of Mordechai's computer usage until he learns to operate the computer independently. 

Mordechai's mother offered her emotional thank you to Chanan. "I was so happy to see him this content.  This computer will change his life."
[Photo:  Chanan and Mordechai with the new computer.]
 
View YouTube video about Chanan's project.

Cleaning Inhalators as Preparation for Bat-Mitzva Celebration

Eighty girls from Ranana who are getting ready to celebrate becoming bat-mitzva participated in an exceptional activity in Ranana's Yad Sarah House. The girls volunteered together with their mothers in cleaning inhalators that are to be available for loan. This activity was part of a bat-mitzva program organized by "Matan", a women's learning institution. The purpose of the program is to transform the bat-mitzva celebration to a meaningful, ongoing process that is shared by mother and daughter.


[photo: girls cleaning  inhalators]

 

The visit to Yad Sarah House included a tour of the premises and a lecture about mutual support in Israel and the importance of helping individuals. Oshra Koren, the manager of the program said:" The visit in Yad Sarah demonstrated to us how much one person can influence so many people by joining forces for mutual assistance and that there are infinite ways of contributing to society. Nomi Horovitz, who will celebrate her bat-mitzva in 2 months enjoyed the program immensely. "The joint activity in cleaning inhalators together with my mother was a very special experience. We were exposed to many volunteers who do a variety of activities to help the ill and disabled. I hope that I will also be able to help like Yad Sarah volunteers when I grow up." During the tour, the girls and their mothers donated money to Yad Sarah that will be used to purchase a wheelchair.

 

For further details, please contact: Andrea Shussman, 09-770-6609 or 050-760-4987,
or David Rothner, 02-644-4430 or 052-360-6726.

 

Eyal Harrison from Ra`anana Marks Bar Mitzvah with emphasis on Mitzvah
Just three years ago the Harrison family—Lauren and Zaq, and their children Qeshet, Baraq and Eyal—returned to Israel and made Ra'anana their home.  Eyal, an 8th grade student at Technologi in Kfar Batya, was to become a Bar Mitzvah this summer, and Zaq hoped  to realize a childhood dream- to mark Eyal’s Bar Mitzvah at Beit Knesset Hanasi in Jerusalem, the very same synagogue that he had 31 years ago.  The Harrisons also wanted to find a place to volunteer and celebrate after Eyal’s Bar Mitzvah at Synagogue, to demonstrate to their family the importance of responsibility.  Without hesitation, the Harrisons chose Yad Sarah.
 
"It was a good feeling to clean wheelchairs and assemble walkers for people who are less privileged," remarked Eyal, aware that his new status as an adult brings about accountability.  The Harrisons and their extended family designed greeting cards for Yad Sarah clients, and repaired medical equipment, which will be lent for free from Yad Sarah's over 100 branches across Israel.  Eyal was proud to volunteer at Yad Sarah for one of the first meaningful actions in his adult life, and he gleaned an important lesson in helping the less fortunate from the experience.  “I would definitely recommend it to others.  I’d like to do volunteer work again.  I think it's important to take time to help people who need it.”
 
Eyal certainly is on his way to doing many more Mitzvot with an attitude like that!  Mazal Tov, Eyal, and thanks for helping out at Yad Sarah.
 

Rachel Kastner includes Yad Sarah in Marking her Bat-Mitzvah
Without even knowing she had personal ties to Yad Sarah, Rachel Kastner, a student at Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, singled out the Israeli organization as the recipient of her Bat Mitzvah donations. She chose Yad Sarah from a brochure her parents gave her, but, she says, “I didn’t know at the time I had so many family connections.” It turns out Rachel has a grandfather who’s a longtime donor,  as well as several family members and friends who have used Yad Sarah’s resources over the years. And Rachel’s great uncle—a retired mechanical engineer—volunteers once a week repairing equipment for Yad Sarah’s lending department .
As part of the Bat Mitzvah process, Rachel read several books about the Holocaust, wanting to further educate herself about the experience of grandparents, three of whom are survivors, but she also wanted to choose an Israeli charity to which she could contribute. And Yad Sarah filled an additional role—it provided an opportunity for the whole Kastner family to volunteer together; in April, Rachel, her parents, and her two younger brothers took a trip to Israel for a hands-on Yad Sarah experience.
Face to face with the spectrum of services offered by Yad Sarah, Rachel was impressed.  She was particularly engaged by the Merkaz Tezuga—Yad Sarah’s Guidance, Resource, and Exhibition Center—a model home displaying the range of equipment available to people with disabilities. The variety includes all kinds of modified household items that enable people to function independently at home. Clients—and visitors like the Kastners—are able to explore and test the items before buying or borrowing them. “While my brothers were goofing around in the wheelchairs, I got to see the section they have set up like a house,” said Rachel. “They let us test the equipment out—a water pitcher that tipped over by itself, and special brooms, and ways to get in the bathtub.”

Evening at Yad Sarah for Raanana Mothers and Bnot Mitzvah Daughters

Mothers and daughters studying together at MATAN's Bat Mitzvah study program in Raanana spent an evening of their learning at the city's Yad Sarah. They brought with them tzedakah and after learning about Yad Sarah and working together to clean inhalators,  continued with their usual weekly evening lesson, focusing this time on chesed, of course.

 

The very next day (Jan. 24) a mother told volunteer Deborah Baruch that her daughter was so pleased about the visit that she can't wait until she is old enough to become a regular volunteer.

 

It has been one year since the new Raanana center opened with only 20 volunteers. Today there are more than 150 volunteers and a full complement of services. May they go from strength to strength.

Jared Marnin: Four Grandparents, Three Generations

Because Jared Marnin's grandmother Batya Rosenfeld, a former Israeli, volunteers for Yad Sarah at the United Nations, he was always curious about the organization.

 

When New Yorker Jared was in Israel with his mother and the Rosenfeld grandparents, he brought both Rosenfeld and Marnin grandmothers and grandfathers to visit. They all toured Yad Sarah House and Jared donated $1,000 in honor of his recent bar mitzvah.. Kol ha kavod to a thoughtful and generous young man and to the Rosenfeld-Marnin families for stopping by.

 

Ariella Prais`s Sponsored Silence buy Computer Programs for Toy Library

ARIELLA PRAIS from Birmingham, England started her Bat Mitzvah MITZVOT  a month before The Day.  After visiting Yad Sarah Jerusalem Toy Library and Play Centre for Children with Special Needs, Ariella decided she would do her utmost to help these children. So she observed a 24 hours sponsored silence and raised a considerable sum of money to pay for specially designed educational computer programmes to be used by the special children attending the Play Centre.
 
To help raise more funds, and before starting her silent 24 hours, Ariella arranged a Yad Sarah display for the communal Channukah celebrations  in her Synagogue Hall.
 
Ariella is usually a very, very chatty young lady and the 24 hour silence was an amazing feat of self-control. 
 
The Prais family are not strangers to Yad Sarah.  Arnold Prais, Ariella's Grandfather is a long time, volunteer in the high-tech electronic medical equipment maintenance workshop. His son Johnny (Ariella's uncle)  volunteered his  professional advice and guidance to establish the Reinhard Marcuse low vision equipment lending service in Rishon Lezion.       
 
Thank you Ariella for making such a magnificent effort to help Yad Sarah's very special children!
  
UK Friends of Yad Sarah Registered Charity Number: 294801. Inland Revenue Reference Number XRO3594
 
 

Noah Feldman Greene and Family Celebrate at Yad Sarah
By Maurice Eidelsberg, Volunteer
 
The Feldman Greene family didn’t have to schlep 8,000 miles from Los Angeles to  celebrate their son Noah's Bar Mitzvah. And they didn't have to corral a dozen or so of their relatives and close friends to come to Israel.  But they wanted to come to Israel to give their son a truly meaningful Bar Mitzvah.  A Bar Mitzvah that was consistent with two of their most cherished values, Chesed and Zionism. That is why they wanted to include Yad Sarah in their celebration.  The headquarters of Chesed in Israel.
 
So there they were, all gathered one morning at Yad Sarah, one day before Noah's Bar Mitzvah --  Grandma Marilyn from British Columbia, Grandma Niki from New Jersey, a cousin from Toronto, their good friends from their synagogue's "Library Minyan."  They all showed up perky (despite having just landed the night before) and  eager to learn more about Yad Sarah and bang together a few walkers.
 
Luckily, we got a chance to meet this very friendly and warm group.  Sharon, a dear neighbor and fellow Minyan member, was so happy to be part of all this.  She even brought her two kids.  "They told us they were coming to celebrate here, and we told them we want to come too!"  Sharon couldn't get over the vast number of people that Yad Sarah helps every year.  "It makes Israel even more special to me," said said.
 
Marilyn and Niki, the proud grandmothers,  got so much naches from their grandson Noah, and were so happy they could be part of the trip.  They both marveled at the size of Yad Sarah. "Wow, it's so big and does so much.  Our friends back home would really benefit from such great services."
 
Brian, the proud father, explained how important it was for them to bring Noah here on his Bar Mitzvah.  "I wanted my son to have a unique mitzvah experience," he commented.  "And I'm really impressed with the wide array and dept of services at Yad Sarah."
 
As for the Bar Mitzvah boy Noah, he loves Israel.  He has been here twice before and has lots  of friends here and feels very connected to Israel.  Noah thinks Yad Sarah is "Cool, they help people a lot."  Noah and his partners did a great job putting together a walker. They beat all the oldsters hands down.
 
But behind it all was, who else, but Lisa, Noah's mom. Coming to Yad Sarah was her idea.  She made all the arrangements for the visit. In fact, it was so important to her, that she made sure the very first thing they did in Israel was volunteer at Yad Sarah.  "I wanted my kids to experience a place completely  devoted to doing good." And to act as an example, she brought a donation from the  kids in her school, collected in their "pushkes" for Yad Sarah.
 
With families so devoted to Israel and doing good like the Feldman Greenes, the future of Yad Sarah is in good shape.
 

Moshe Lewy-Neuman Prepares for Bar Mitzvah Preparing Wheelchairs
by Avi Eisenman – Yad Sarah Intern

"Torah values are about how I can help and what I can do for the world" explained Rita Rivka Lewy. Rita Rivka and her son Moshe Lewy-Neuman, of Teaneck, New Jersey, came to Yad Sarah in preparation for Moshe's upcoming Bar Mitzvah. "The whole goal is for him to experience doing chesed in Eretz Yisrael before his Bar Mitzvah to enhance his identity with the Jewish people and to experience life in Israel."

Mission accomplished. Rita Rivka and Moshe spent hours cleaning and repairing wheelchairs and rollators to be lent out to Yad Sarah clients. Moshe was also presented with a certificate recognizing his contribution to Yad Sarah and applauding his understanding the importance of chesed.  "It feels special to celebrate my Bar-Mitzvah with Chesed," Moshe said.

The two also enjoyed a brief tour of Yad Sarah's services, including the Children's Enrichment Center, The model apartment for those with physical handicaps, and "Daat," Yad Sarah's informational service for those who want to better understand a recent medical diagnosis. "I was moved to tears how much chesed was done from people's hearts," said Rita Rivka.

As they left, Moshe and Rita Rivka felt they had laid the proper foundation on which Moshe can build his life as a caring member of the Jewish community. Rita Rivka commented, "All Jews are one family and here people come together just for chesed. And that's how we want to live our lives."

   

A Bat Mitzvah -- Penina Sheer -- does a Mitzvah
by volunteer Maurice Edelsberg

A lot of families pick soccer or rock and roll as themes for their bar/bat mitzvah.  But the Sheers, Bonnie and David of Passaic, New Jersey are different.  Rather than simply having fun, the Sheers wanted their celebration to be different, to have meaning.  So they planned their daughter Penina's Bat Mitzvah party around one theme: chesed (acts of kindness).

 

Upon choosing this theme, Yad Sarah immediately came to mind.  Yad Sarah has always been synonymous with chesed in the Sheer family.  Penina's uncle, Daniel Sheer,  works at Yad Sarah, so they know about the organization's great work.  Daniel suggested having kids at the Bat Mitzvah make cards to be given to people borrowing medical equipment at Yad Sarah's lending department.  Penina was crazy about the idea.

 

And so it was. This February, at the bat mitzvah, a big table was set up in back of the hall, supplied with colored paper and drawing supplies. Thirty of Penina's friends went at it full force, cutting, drawing, and designing cards with different messages.  Some wished mazel tov to new mothers who would borrow electric nursing pumps,  others contained get-well-soon messages sure to make anyone needing a walker, or a pulse-oxymeter, feel just a little bit better.  The girls had such a blast making these cards, that they almost forgot about dancing!  It went so well, that when the other girls in Penina's Yeshiva, Beit Hillel of Passaic, heard about it, they also wanted to join in.  When all was said and done, the Sheers collected almost a hundred cards.

 

But Penina wasn't done with the mitzvah.  Not happy just sending the cards to Israel by mail, she wanted to finish the job and deliver them in person.  So Bonnie, Penina, and family, planned a wonderfully spiritual summer trip to Israel.   And when they arrived at Yad Sarah headquarters in Jerusalem, they not only delivered the cards, but they banged together some walkers as well. 

 

After the tour of Yad Sarah's different departments Penina was amazed.  "They lend all that equipment and answer emergency calls, all for free!," commented Penina.  Oh yes, after the tour they sampled lunch at the famous Yad Sarah cafe. The gang all agreed that the food was as great as the organization itself.

           

The Bat Mitzvah girl is sure that now, as a responsible adult, she wants to do more chesed and her mother has no doubts she will.  "Penina is such a good kid, she's already such a big help around the house."  Coming from such a chesed-doing family like the Sheers, just increases the odds this fine young girl will continue doing good things.  And in a few years, if Penina wants to get serious, Yad Sarah, the house of chesed, will be waiting for her.
 

Yoni Granick and Family Celebrate Bar Mitzvah at Yad Sarah

            As part of a summer trip to Israel, Yoni Granick and family, hailing from Monsey, New York celebrated his Bar-Mitzvah with the mitzvah of Chesed at Yad Sarah. At the organization's Jerusalem headquarters, the Granick family found themselves enthusiastically building walkers to be lent out to Yad Sarah's clients. "This is a great place" said Yoni, "you can always come here and help people." How right Yoni is. Yad Sarah's driving force is its 6,000 volunteers from all backgrounds. They come in each day with the united mission of lending a helping hand.

            The Granicks also enjoyed a tour of Yad Sarah's many services offered to Israeli society. "I work with children and I found the Children's Enrichment Center to be very impressive," said Yoni's father Dr. Abraham Granick, who counsels children at Yeshiva Spring Valley in Monsey. Abraham was referring to the special children's wing, where, through the use of standard games, Yad Sarah helps improve the lives of youngsters with special needs.

            In the Exhibition Room, the Granicks observed many of the household items developed by Yad Sarah which help the disabled live as normal and independent lives as possible at home. Items included a walker with pockets for carrying basic things such as a water bottle or a magazine, and curved cutlery and a playing card holder for those with wrist impairments or weak hands. "There's nothing like this in America," said Yoni's mom, Dr. Leah Granick, whose own mother uses a walker. This place really focuses on the heart and soul."

            Before leaving, Yoni was presented with a special certificate signed by Uri Lupolianski, Jerusalem Mayor and Yad Sarah founder, which commended him for joining Yad Sarah's team of volunteers and for understanding the importance of chesed. All in all, the family highly enjoyed their visit. Yoni's Mom commented "I've heard of Yad Sarah before, but coming and seeing it makes it so real to me."  

 

BJ Ibgui Celebrates Bar-Mitzvah with a Mitzvah[ 16/07/2006 ]

by Avi Eisenman, Yad Sarah Intern

 
"Instead of just throwing a party, we wanted to give back a little," said Cheryl Ibgui mother of Benjamin (B.J.) Ibgui, who recently celebrated his bar mitzvah. As part of their celebration in Israel, B.J. and family volunteered at Yad Sarah's Jerusalem headquarters, rolled up their sleeves and assembled walkers to be lent out to Yad Sarah's clients. "It's great to watch all of the children get really involved in such a nice thing!" commented Cheryl, as she watched the group enthusiastically put together the walkers. "If I lived in Israel this is where I would want to work."  B.J., who often visits nursing homes in L.A. (his hometown) with his school, the Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy, worked with a big smile on his face. "It feels really good to be helping people," he said as he and his grandfather, Avrum Reiss attached wheels to their walker.

The family also enjoyed a tour of Yad Sarah's facilities. They first met Yad Sarah's Daniel Sheer, who gave an overview of the organization's contribution to Israeli society, and a short video thereafter highlighted the different services Yad Sarah provides for all those in need, regardless of background.  And the Ibguis were surprised to learn that in every city they had visited on their Israel trip existed a Yad Sarah branch.

In the Enrichment Center for Children, guide Sylvia Wallis, herself a volunteer, described for the Ibguis how, through the use of standard games, Yad Sarah helps improve the lives of youngsters with special needs. In the imagination room, for example, the group observed a performance stage with many props and a model kitchen, used by children to perform a play or a skit, and often communicate things they might not say otherwise and shed light on certain issues at home. B.J.'s grandmother, Sandi Reiss, who works in special education, marveled at the vast amount of toys and games the children's center possessed and the high degree of organization maintained at the center. Some of the younger children in the group really liked the toys and the puppets in the imagination room.

At the end of the tour, B.J. was presented with a plaque commending him for his understanding of the importance of Chesed, demonstrated by his visit to Yad Sarah on the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah. This understanding was further evident when B.J. then personally donated Tzedaka monies to Yad Sarah. "Coming here to help makes me feel closer to Israel," he said. Looking on with pride, Grandma Sandi remarked "this has been a very positive experience and I'm so proud of him."  
 
 

What does this Bar Mitzvah mean to you?[ 28/06/2006 ]

What does this Bar Mitzvah mean to you?[ 28/06/2006 ]
 

Yad Sarah, a social services provider and the largest volunteer-staffed organization in Israel, just got some help from a 13-year-old in East Rockaway, New York.

 

“I have had many questions asked to me recently,” Daniel Deutsch said in his Bar Mitzvah speech at Hewlett East Rockaway Jewish Centre, “but the one that stands out the most is, What does this Bar Mitzvah mean to you?”

 

“I did not know how to answer this question at first,” his speech continued, “but I gave it a lot of thought and I realized what it is not.  It is not about becoming a man or a woman because I believe that takes place when you are allowed to vote, join the army or get a driver’s license.”

 

But Daniel, a student at Lynbrook South Middle School, was man enough to make an adult decision—the decision to donate a portion of his Bar Mitzvah gifts to Yad Sarah.

 

“I think of the Bar Mitzvah as a milestone in my life, and a new beginning,” he explained.

 

And so Yad Sarah came onto the scene.  A social service organization best known for lending out durable medical equipment across its network of 103 branches in Israel, Yad Sarah provides an array of health and home care services for all ages.  Its free services are delivered by over 6,000 volunteers, who drive the injured to medical appointments, help adults and children recover and restore independent functioning in its day centers, provide in-home geriatric dental care and advocate for victims of elder abuse. 

 

“We were looking on the internet for Israeli funds to donate to,” said Daniel.  “The biggest one we found happened to be the one I thought was the best. It helped the elderly, and my grandfather uses a wheelchair.”

 

As Daniel sees it, this watershed time in his life will only start him off toward adulthood, sending him in the direction of the human responsibility to do good in the world. “There are many other goals to be reached by society and myself,” he said, “including the end of terrorism, world hunger and finding cures for diseases.” And to Daniel, helping the elderly, homebound and special needs children of Israel is worthy of his focus.

 

For more information about Yad Sarah, call 1-866-YAD-SARAH or visit our website at www.yadsarah.org.

 

On This One, the Check Is Not In the Mail

When Nava Jacknis heard about Yad Sarah's various projects and initiatives, she decided to include Yad Sarah in her Bat Mitzvah celebration in September 2005.  Nava's father, Rabbi Ian Jacknis, is the rabbi of the South Huntington Jewish Center of Melville, Long Island.  Nava informed her congregation about Yad Sarah's efforts through an oral address and a presentation table.  She encouraged friends and relatives to donate to Yad Sarah and added part of her own Bat Mitzvah gift money to the collection. 
At that point, her parents thought her project was done, and they were ready to mail a check in the sum of Nava's total collection to Yad Sarah in Israel.  But Nava's idea was different.  She did not want to perform this mitzvah, the first Tzedaka initiative of her adult life, through the postal service.  She wanted to take the final step herself.  Nava's family already had plans to participate in a community mission to Israel in February, so Nava decided to include a visit to Yad Sarah Headquarters in Jerusalem so she could hand over the entire collection can, in bills and coins, in person.  And so she did.
Many people donate Tzedaka, but the enthusiasm for helping others that Nava displayed in her insistence on making her donation personally is exceptional.  Her mother, Suri Jacknis, said it best: "Kids are so inspiring!"  Mazal Tov Nava, and may your drive to give to others only continue to grow!

Timor Balaish`s Creative Flair Raises Money for Yad Sarah

Am Israel Chai—the people of Israel live on forever—say the blue and white band bracelets designed by Timor Balaish. She created them to raise money for Yad Sarah, whose philosophy resonated with her. But the sale of the bracelets is only a small part of Timor’s contribution to Israel.  Inspired in part by her Torah portion, Metzora, Leviticus 14:15:33, which teaches us not to judge on the basis of what we see on the outside, Timor, a student at Rye Middle School in Rye, New York, wanted to “show people the history and beauty of Israel” from the perspective of someone her age.  “I heard about many bombings and all the troubles reported in Israel in the news, but never anything else,” she says.  “I know Israel is so much more than that.  Nowhere in the news did it tell you the fun things you can experience there.” 

 

Thus began Timor’s creation of “My Israel,” ten minutes of footage showcasing the image of a beautiful homeland where young adults like her know only a normal, happy, and safe existence.  Now Timor screens her movie around Westchester, New York, speaking at synagogues and hobnobbing with nervous teenagers who are seeking reassurance about their impending travels to Israel.  “I think people were shocked by my video,” Timor says of the congregations that have filled her itinerary.  “They’d either seen terrorists or vacations; they never saw both.”

 

When Timor heard about Yad Sarah from her grandmother, she realized how perfectly it fit in with the rest of her project.  “I wanted to donate to a cause that was useful. I wanted to connect it all and intertwine everything.”  She sells the popular-style bracelets for $5 apiece, $3 of which go to Yad Sarah.  Now still peddling her product, Timor has already raised $550 for the organization.

 

“In our world today, people look at others who are different as not normal,” says Timor.  “Yad Sarah makes it possible for those people to fit into the world. Israel has conflicts that are unique to their country and can seem overwhelming to the rest of us.  But Israel and its people are the same as us and if we take the time and look inside, we will see their sameness.”

 

To buy a bracelet, or for a copy of Timor’s movie, you can contact her at MyIsrael@aol.com. 
 
Read Timor's essay about her project.

``Something Special Made Its Way into Their Hearts``

"At the end of the day our guests told us that something special had made its way into their hearts and that they had never before visited such an interesting and important place!"

Racheli Horwitz and Janet Jaddah are talking about their recent Bat Mitzvah celebration which took place at Yad Sarah House in Jerusalem. Instead of the usual party at a luxurious hall, the girls, both students at Horev Ra'anana, opted to bring family and schoolmates to Yad Sarah House where they first enjoyed a discussion, tour and film. After a kosher lunch for the group of 25 at Yad Sarah's cafe, they donned gowns and sterile gloves to participate in a hands-on activity readying inhalation machines for lending. At the end of the day all received special certificates.

"It was lots of fun and I learned so much," Janet said. |"For example, that kindness can be expressed in all kinds of ways. Even giving something small of yourself can turn out to be something enormous."

"We all learned a lot about the attribute of loving kindness," Racheli added. "It was a very special Bat Mitzvah."


 

Kahn Sisters, B'not Mitzvah, Enter Jewish Womanhood through Social Responsibility

Sarah and Nichole Kahn commenced their life as B'not Mitzvah with an act of Tzedek – of social righteousness- and assembled rehab equipment at Yad Sarah House in Jerusalem.  For the Kahns, 12, it was important to help the citizens of their People, in addition to touring the land of their heritage. Joining Sarah and Nichole on the momentous Israel trip from Toronto were parents Jackie & Norman and their extended family, friends Carole & Harold Wolfe, and friends Sue & Murray Weisbart.  Yad Sarah was delighted to be a part of this important milestone for the Kahns.  A hearty Mazal Tov from the entire Yad Sarah family!

Joey and Jessica Rosenberg Celebrate Becoming B'nai Mitzvah with a Mitzvah

How better to commemorate the becoming of a bar/bat mitzvah than to build walkers for the injured, sick and elderly?  Such an experience was had by Joey and Jessica Rosenberg at Yad Sarah House in Jerusalem.  Joey, 13, and Jessica, 12, were visiting Israel from New York with their parents, Benjamin and Karen in honor of their bar and bat mitzvah. 

Instead of simply seeing Israel's ancient sites and shopping, Joey, Jessica and their parents made it a point to help and give to Israel, as well.  The family arrived at Yad Sarah, and after a brief tour of the building, continued to the "Hands On" room to assemble the walkers.  The walkers that they built will actually be used by Yad Sarah clients around Israel.

Joey and Jessica are hardly newcomers to volunteering, having been involved in projects through their schools and in their community. 

Mazal Tov and a big thank you to Jessica, Joey, Benjamin and Karen, from the greater Yad Sarah family.

Yossi Quint Marks Bar Mitzvah Through Chesed Project at Yad Sarah

Like many other American families, the Quints from Riverdale, New York took advantage of the winter vacation from school and brought their kids to Israel.  Yossi, 13, was a major factor in the Quints decision to travel, as a Bar Mitzvah Tefilla at the Kotel was to mark his entering adulthood.  
To the Quints, it was important that Yossi and his siblings not only commemorate this milestone in prayer, but in deeds.  A good number of Israeli organizations benefited from the Quints' Chesed, including Yad Sarah.  At Yad Sarah, Yossi and company enjoyed a brief tour and assembled walkers, to be loaned for free from Yad Sarah's 103 equipment lending branches across Israel.  Yossi's great grandfather of blessed memory, who had lived in Jerusalem, had been a recipient of Yad Sarah's services.  Yad Sarah was touched to receive something back from Yossi, to the benefit of others in need.
Mazal Tov to the Quint – Hellman families, from the greater Yad Sarah family!

Cheli Arussy Creativley Contributes to Yad Sarah
One year ago Cheli (Sarah Rachel) Arussy  of New Jersey contacted Yad Sarah. This year the daughter of Drora and Lior Arussy became a Bat Mitzvah and realized her dream. Bearing bracelets and beach balls and a generous contribution to Yad Sarah, she arrived in Israel with a group of 20 family members.
Cheli approached her Chesed project very creatively. Not only did she request support for Yad Sarah on her printed Bat Mitzvah invitations, she had special bracelets created inscribed with "Ten Yad L'Yad Sarah" (Give a Hand to Yad Sarah) in English transliteration, and sold them during the year to raise funds. 
When the group (including U.S. family members from New Jersey and Cleveland, OH and Israeli members from Modi'in and Jerusalem) came to Yad Sarah House to present the gifts it was a fun surprise to find a photograph of her Israeli grandmother, a Yad Sarah volunteer in Herzeliyah, in a display on the second floor.  Very fond of children and sports, Cheli's gift of beach balls, autographed by friends and family will be enjoyed by children who come to the Beit Helena Toy Library and Play Center for Children in Jerusalem.

Read Cheli's essay about this project. (pdf file)

Ariella Axler Celebrates Bat Mitzvah with Good Deeds

What better way to celebrate a Bat Mitzva than to do a Mitzva. Incorporating acts  of tzedakah into the Bat Mitzva celebration can infuse the entire occasion with meaning and provide an auspicious launch into adulthood.  Such was the case for Ariella Axler of Atlanta.  Ariella and her family have made social action on behalf of those less fortunate an essential part of her Bat Mitzvah year.  So it is of little surprise that they made Yad Sarah an important stop during their trip to Israel. We talked to Ariella at Yad Sarah in Jerusalem, as she was joyfully putting together walkers, (an activity favored by many family missions on their visit to the organization's headquarters). We asked Ariella what would be her message to her peers as they themselves were embarking on their own Bat Mitzvah year. Ariella didn't miss a beat.  She tightened the final screws of the almostready walker, and with a broad smile, Ariella answered: "There is so  much to do to help others and volunteering for the community - for me it has been the most valuable lesson of this year..."

 

Leeza Cumsky's Bat Mitzvah Donation

Leeza Cumsky, of East Brunswick, NJ, has joined a growing list of Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrants that choose to participate in the kindness of giving to others by donating to Yad Sarah.  Last Passover, as part of her Bat Mitzvah celebration, Leeza and her family visited Israel, where they toured Yad Sarah facilities and were markedly impressed by the many ways Yad Sarah assists all Israelis.  The experience of actually assembling a walker to be loaned out by Yad Sarah had a strong effect on Leeza, and as a result she decided to donate a portion of the money she received as presents for her Bat Mitzvah to Yad Sarah.  To quote her:  “It's a good feeling to know that there are children in Israel using something that I helped make! I've decided to donate some of my own money to Yad Sarah so they could continue to do all all their great things.” 

Nice job, Leeza.  Keep up the good work!

 

Bat Mitzvah Read-a-Thon

For a Jewish girl, becoming a Bat Mitzvah is a meaningful occasion. Tamar Benus, of Brooklyn, New York, recognized the significance of this milestone, at which a young girl assumes adult responsibility. Tami sought ways to help others.

At her own initiative, Tami organized a read-a-thon, recruiting sponsors pledging amounts per page. She collected $2,200 through intense page turning - and all from reading books not required for school.
Full Story

Miri Raff of Johannesburg Celebrates becoming a Bat-Mitzva
Helen and Ronnie Raff can certainly be proud of their daughter, Miri. On a family sabbatical in Israel, Miri quickly made friends among her new, Israeli classmates. With the approach of summer, and the Raff family’s impending return to South Africa, Miri thought to lend a hand to Yad Sarah- about which she had learned as part of a Yad Sarah Chesed project back at her “home” school, Torah Academy in Johannesburg.

Miri initiated another Chesed project, this time to include her Israeli classmates. She invited them to celebrate her and their becoming B’not Mitzvah in appropriate fashion, by performing another act of kindness - preparing greeting cards for Yad Sarah patients. While at Yad Sarah, the girls toured the facilities and viewed a video about the organization. Their happy voices reverberated throughout the halls as Miri led them on the tour- her second this year!

Family chooses good deed over good steak

Yehoshua Fried chose not to spend his Bar Mitzvah eating fancy steak at a fancy hotel somewhere in Houston, where they are stationed for two years. Instead, he and his family chose to come back home to Israel to spend the special day at Yad Sarah. After davening at the Kotel, 65 cousins, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends spent three hours witnessing the virtues of volunteerism, eating plain tuna fish and banging together walkers.
In the photo, Yehoshua hold  a  plaque certifing him as the 6000th volunteer of Yad Sarah. He is  surrounded by  his family after completing hands-on session.

Riverdale Bat Mitzvah girl memoralizes uncle through gift to Yad Sarah

Daphna Weinstock of Riverdale, NY, meets with Mayor of Jerusalem and Yad Sarah founder Uri Lupolianski to present a check in the amount of money that she raised for her Bat Mitzvah Chesed program. Daphna raised the money in memory of her uncle Rabbi Shlomo Feder, a quadrapalegic, in appreciation of the many services provided by Yad Sarah during his trips to Israel…she wants the money to be used to buy walkers for needy disabled children.

Full story

El Paso Teen Joyous in Result of Bat Mitzvah Project

Erin Reiter chose Yad Sarah, and thus was able to connect with her family in Israel, return the acts of  kindness.

Spurred on by her desire to assist the organization, Erin Reiter recruited her Bat Mitzvah guests, friends and family, to help Yad Sarah. She received more than 60 responses. The combination of all these gifts can buy a variety of equipment that can be loaned over and over again, enabling a small gift to go a long way.
Full story

 

Ariel Berkowitz marks reaching Bar Mitzvah through act of good deed.

13- year old Ra’anana resident Ariel Berkowitz and his extended family from Israel and the US experienced firsthand the importance of giving back to the community. Ariel and family enjoyed a brief introduction to Yad Sarah, and then tackled the task of assembling walkers, which will be loaned from Yad Sarah’s 100 equipment lending branches. The walker Ariel assembled may likely be loaned from theYad Sarah Ra’anana branch in his hometown!