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	AREYVUT BNAI MITZVAH ESSAY CONTEST
		Bnai Mitzvah Essay Contest Winning Entries Operation Noah By Dennis Fries As a member of the Jewish community, I value my responsibility to give back to the society through chesed, tzedakah, and tikkun olam. For my bar mitzvah project, I created a program called "Operation Noah". "Operation Noah" is a stuffed animal collection drive that benefits pediatric wards at two local hospitals. I enlisted the help of local schools and merchants to set up drop locations for people to donate new stuffed animals to comfort young patients in the hospital. I have also involved the media and groups, such as a local theater, to help with the program by letting everybody know how to help out. This is a simple, yet significant, way to give support to others and make a difference. The idea came to me after spending a good deal of time in the hospital from a variety of ailments. During one visit I was given a stuffed animal that helped comfort me and settle me down. I was then told that there was only one left. I decided to lend a hand these children undergoing painful and frightening procedures and thereby make the world a better place (tikkun olam) by setting up a drive to collect stuffed animals for the children that have to go through the same sorts of things that I have. From first hand experience, I have learned that a hospital can be a pretty scary place for kids. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to know that I have eased other children's fears. This project greatly impacted my bar mitzvah celebration. As I read the Torah portion of Noah, I could look around the sanctuary and see it filled with new donations. The collection continued at the party later that evening, where friends and family came with baskets full of new stuffed animals. Even with all of the preparation to be done, I chose to take the morning of my bar mitzvah to spend time with sick children and parents of preemies. It was a very meaningful feeling to know I was helping others on such an important weekend of my life. Since my recent bar mitzvah in October, my program has expanded even further. Currently, I have collected over 3,500 stuffed animals, dropped them off at the hospitals, and visited patients to personally hand some out. On each stuffed animal, there is a tag that says where they can give back to the program by dropping off stuffed animals at the designated locations. Along with keeping current updates about the program to the media and meeting with other companies to set up new drop locations, this is a great way to keep stuffed animals coming through to Operation Noah. This is very important to get more stuffed animals because the need for soothing sick children will always be there. I also believe that no child should see the closet bare without a single stuffed animal as I did. As I grow older, I will continue this project and find new ways to make the world a better place. Dennis Fries is an 8th grader at the Andersen Junior High School in Chandler, Arizona. His essay won 1st place in the Areyvut Bnai Mitzvah Essay Contest. "Warm Fuzzies" for Cancer By Natalie Stern Cancer. This word often brings feelings of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. However, my mitzvah project allowed patients facing this illness to think of warmth and comfort as part of their cancer journey. For my bat mitzvah project, I participated in the "Warm Fuzzies" program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and hand made over twenty colorful fleece lap blankets. These blankets are used by adult and pediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments at the Cancer Center. Patients are given a blanket in the infusion area and often bring it with them to all of their treatments. It means a lot to the patients to know that someone in their community cares about them during this challenging time. I celebrated my bat mitzvah on August 21st, 2004 at Congregation Beth Ahm in West Bloomfield, Michigan and incorporated my project into the service. In my Haftorah (Shoftim), G-d shows his compassion and comforts the Jewish people after the destruction of both temples. The Jewish people now know that G-d is with them, and they are no longer frightened. In my D'var Torah, I explained how the Haftorah reminds us that our belief in G'd should not waiver even during the most devastating times. It is our faith in G'd that gives us strength, enabling us to go on. Then I related my mitzvah project to these ideas and explained how this is especially true for those facing serious illness. I talked about how the colorful fleece lap blankets displayed in baskets on the bimah would benefit patients at the Cancer Center. It was my hope that together with G-d, I could provide comfort and warmth to cancer patients undergoing treatments. The values of chesed, tzedakah, and tikkun olam were an important part of my becoming a bat mitzvah. I displayed acts of kindness when I decided to do a project that would have an impact on many people's lives. Making the beautiful, warm blankets was very charitable because I bought the fleece fabric with my own money and spent many hours during my summer vacation to create them. In doing so, I think that I have made the world a better place. I have brought cheer to those facing a difficult time and let them know that others care. I chose to do a service project for several reasons. Becoming a bat mitzvah was a turning point in my Jewish responsibilities and this project marked that new beginning. Reaching out and helping others in our community was how I wanted to share the many blessings I have received from G-d. I selected the "Warm Fuzzies" program because my family has been touched by cancer. My mother's breast cancer experience five years ago influenced my life and made me appreciate G-d's blessings. This project was my way of thanking the Cancer Center for helping to save my mom's life. The patients who receive these blankets will know that others are thinking of them and praying for their good health. I plan to continue my involvement with the "Warm Fuzzies" program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Seeing the faces of patients when I delivered the fleece lap blankets to the Cancer Center motivated me to stay active. Also, a local article about my project in the newspaper has encouraged other b'nai mitzvah students and local organizations to support this program. As a look back on my bat mitzvah celebration, I am proud that I have demonstrated the true meaning of this milestone event and made a difference in the lives of others. Natalie Stern is an 8th grader at the Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Her essay tied for 2nd place in the Areyvut Bnai Mitzvah Essay Contest. District 9 Challenger League By Charlie Raitt I chose as my Bar Mitzvah project the District A Challenger League of Little League Baseball. The Challenger League was founded to provide physically and mentally disabled children the opportunity to play recreational baseball. Since I love baseball and have been playing in the baseball leagues for seven years. I thought that this would be a meaningful project for me. I learned about the Challenger League from an article in the newspaper. A disabled child is partnered with a buddy; as they do in the Special Olympics. No one ever strikes out or is thrown out at the bases. Every disabled child is made to feel special and just like everyone else. By choosing the Challenger League as my mitzvah project, I believe that I will make a difference in a child's life. As a bar mitzvah, "man of the commandments,", and being considered an "adult" in the Jewish religion, I know that I now have an obligation to follow mitzvoth. I recognize that I am blessed with a loving family and good health, so I have an obligation to help the less fortunate. I know the thrill that comes from being at home plate waiting for the perfect pitch, hitting the ball, running the bases and scoring a run. Through the Challenger League, disabled children will experience that same thrill and feeling of personal success. I put an article in my synagogue bulletin telling about the Challenger League, why I chose it as my mitzvah project and asked for donations to this worthy project instead of receiving a gift. I gave these donations, along with the decorations from my bar mitzvah party which includes gloves and balls, to the Challenger League. I also made a donation from the money that I had received as gifts to the league. This money will enable the league to buy the specialized equipment the children will need. I hope to have my baseball league donate their time to the Challenger League as buddies. I'm glad that my synagogue encourages each Bar Mitzvah to choose a mitzvah project. Our community also encourages tzedakah, chesed, and tikkun olam through the B'nai Tzedek program, which I joined. Even though you are the "main attraction" at your Bar Mitzvah, you experience meaning through a mitzvah project. Charlie Raitt is an 8th grader at the Solomon Schechter Day School in Jacksonville, Florida. His essay tied for 2nd place in the Areyvut Bnai Mitzvah Essay Contest. The Mitzvah of Caring for Those in Need By Sarah Berman My torah portion for my Bat Mitzvah was Parashat Behar-Bechukotai. This parasha has a lot of meaning for me because it was the same parasha as the day I was born and is a connection to my mom and my father who died shortly after I was born. I wanted to connect the importance of Chesed (acts of loving kindness) to my Bat Mitzvah service and celebration because it's already an important part of my life and my family. From the time I was a young child my mom has always stressed to me the importance of caring for others and for our community. She taught me that the Acts of Kindness we perform not only benefit those in need, but bring fulfillment to ourselves. I wanted to share this with my family and friends and tie in one of the three major themes of my parasha which was "The Mitzvah of Caring for Those in Need." Some of the mitzvah projects I am involved with are: collecting and distributing toiletries to Deborah's Place which is a shelter for homeless women and the Night Ministry which is a shelter for homeless teens. The collections are an ongoing project which I continue to do. I never knew how a small bottle of shampoo or soap can make such a difference in someone's life. I help make and deliver Shabbat and holiday meals to homebound senior and for the past four years I have visited a senior who is bed bound and celebrated her 100th birthday last January. I gave a portion of my Bat Mitzvah money to Pennies for the Planet, which is an organization which helps to protect the land and animals of our world and to Mazon, which is the Jewish Response to Hunger. Mazon helps families in need of food in the United States, Israel and around the world. All these Acts of Kindness have taught me the personal lesion of how important it is to care for others and for our community; always with respect and dignity. The gift I have received from being involved is greater than anything I have done for any of these people. Last year I began to volunteer as a referee for the Special Olympics program. As a result of volunteering with Special Olympics I decided to get involved with Operation Mazel Tov. This program resulted in a special twinning which I was able to share my Bat Mitzvah day with an Israeli child with special needs. My experience with Special Olympics taught me a great deal about people with special needs. I have become empowered by the people I have met and they have taught me a great deal about myself, the power of love and friendship and having the ability to accomplish anything I want to. I have also learned that one of the greatest acts of kindness is giving a person their dignity and letting them maintain their independence and accomplish goals they have set for themselves. Giving someone the ability to find a future for themselves and to become a part of a community is the special gift I can give to someone. I have been given the ability to study Torah and become a Bat Mitzvah. I strongly believe that by giving the gift of Torah to another person and sharing the rite-of-passage of the ritual of becoming a Bat Mitzvah I have made a huge impact in someone else's life. Since my Bat Mitzvah I continue to be active in my community. I read Torah on Rosh Hashanah and I am reading Torah again on Shabbat morning December 4th. The collection of toiletries is ongoing and I have put out collection boxes in my school and have written letters to different hotel chains for donations. Once a month I am a referee for the Special Olympics and find that volunteering gives me an incredible feeling every time I'm at an event. I look forward to celebrating my friend's 101st Birthday this January and share all her wonderful and insightful stories when I visit her. I hope to return to Israel one day to meet Dina and her family and share stories of our Bat Mitzvah celebrations. My family and I continue to support The Masorti Foundation and Operation Mazel Tov, the importance of this program is that it continues to ensure that one more group of Jews, children with special needs, is included within the Jewish Community. The word for "charity" in Hebrew is tzedakah from the root tzadee deled koof meaning "right", "just", and "morally correct", I have been taught and always try to personally follow the commandment of tzedakah. I am grateful for having the opportunity to have a Bat Mitzvah and for my parents and my community who have instilled in me the responsibility of tzedakah. Sarah Berman is an 8th grader at the Francis W. Parker in Chicago, Illinois. Her essay won 3rd place in the Areyvut Bnai Mitzvah Essay Contest.