2009-2010 Mitzvah Projects

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Sarah Lederman – “Cookies for Cows”

A series of bake sales to raise money and awareness for Heifer International, an organization dedicated to combating world hunger by providing a sustainable source of food and income to those in need in a “pay-it-forward” manner. Heifer’s clients receive a breeding pair of stock animal such as cows, goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, even bees. They receive training on how to care for the animals. They benefit from the animals’ direct product, i.e., milk or eggs, to supplement their family’s food, and then sell the remainder for sustainable income. When the animals breed, they are pledged to pass on offspring to others in need, training them in turn, thus providing an on-going chain of bootstrap support.

Heifer International also provides micro-loans for small businesses, teaches agro-ecology, provides HIV/AIDS education and supports gender equity. Heifer projects are world-wide. Here in the US, Heifer supports urban agriculture projects, which provides sustainable food and essential job skills for clients. See www.heifer.org.

Sarah will hold a series of bake sales and also offer her home-baked cookies through e-mail orders, which may be placed at office@tbe.org. A complete order form will be available at Temple Beth El, at the bake sales and by e-mailing office@tbe.org. Sarah will also be explaining what Heifer International does and providing literature to raise awareness for this superb organization.

Andrew Schwartz – The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity

Bar Mitzvah literally means son of the commandment. To me, becoming a Bar Mitzvah means becoming responsible as a Jewish adult including performing mitzvah and carrying on Jewish traditions and values. As my first responsible act as a Jewish adult I have decided to raise money for The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. Elie Wiesel is one of the greatest activists for human rights. A survivor of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel has dedicated his life to making certain that that no one ever forgets the tragic events of the Holocaust and the senseless loss of over six million Jews. The entire world had to have known what was happening to the Jews during the holocaust and did nothing to stop it. Thus, it has been his determination to never be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. Mr. Wiesel has maintained that “to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all.” Despite the graphic evidence of the injustices caused to the Jewish people and others by the Nazis, there are still some people today that refuse to accept that the Holocaust ever happened. In addition, there are tyrants today that impose ethnic cleansing and genocide. Thus, it is Wiesel’s mission to educate the world and promote awareness about the Holocaust so that it will never happen to another group of people again. In furtherance of this purpose, in 1987, The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity was established. The mission of the Foundation, which is rooted in the memory of the Holocaust, is to combat indifference, intolerance and injustice through international dialogue and youth focused programs that promote acceptance, understanding and equality. Tragically, this past year the Foundation suffered a devastating loss. Substantially all of the Foundation’s assets ($15.2 million) were under the management of Bernard Madoff Investment Securities and the Foundation became one of the many victims to the Madoff investment fraud losing these assets.

Because of my deep admiration for Elie Wiesel and my strong belief in the importance of promoting awareness about the Holocaust and given the fact that human rights are still violated today, it is each of our responsibility to respond to such injustice (we cannot remain silent as was done during the Holocaust), I have chosen as part of my mitzvah project to raise money for The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. I am making a personal donation from a portion of my Bar Mitzvah gifts to the Foundation. In addition, I am sending personal letters to my family and friends, informing them of the significant and meaningful work of the Foundation. Please consider making a donation to this very important Foundation. Donations can be made by check payable to The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and delivered to Andrew Schwartz c/o Temple Beth El, 350 Roxbury Road, Stamford, Connecticut 06902 (I will deliver the checks to The Foundation along with my donation). Donations may also be made by credit card by visiting the Foundation’s website at: www.eliewieselfoundation.org . Donations in any amount will be greatly appreciated and put to excellent use.

“Adopt a Holocaust Survivor”

In addition to raising money for The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, I have decided to play a part in promoting awareness of the tragic events of the Holocaust by documenting the actual experiences of a Holocaust survivor. With the assistance of Al Treidel, Education Director, along with my older sister Danielle, I will be participating in the “Adopt a Holocaust Survivor” program. We will be interviewing an individual survivor and recording this person’s stories and experiences by video as well as preparing a written account. Upon completion, this chronicle of their life will be presented on the Temple Beth El website and will be preserved indefinitely. In addition, Danielle and I are making a commitment to present this Holocaust survivor’s story in Washington, DC in 2043, the 100th anniversary of the Holocaust. While there are several Holocaust survivors already participating in the program, I am seeking a Holocaust Survivor from the Greater Stamford area to adopt. Anyone interested in participating in the “Adopt a Holocaust Survivor” program (survivor or an interviewer) should contact Mr. Al Treidel, Director of Jewish Life Education, at eddir@tbe.org or by calling 203-322-6901 x305.

Jordan Ganz – Food Drive for the Food Bank & Serving Meals at Person to Person.

I am Jordan Ganz, an eighth grader at Rippowam Middle School. For my Mitzvah project, I am conducting a food drive for The Food Bank, at 461 Glenbrook Road in Stamford to help hungry people in our area. I am sure you want to know about some of the people, who gain from these food drives and who I’ll be serving meals to. One is a single mom, who wants to work two jobs just to pay the rent. Our community has newly arrived immigrants who are struggling to start their American dream. To learn more about The Food Bank, go to www.foodbanklfc.org. Their Food Wish List is:

• Beans
• Bread, Cake, Muffin, Pancake Mixes, Dry Cereals
• Canned Fish & Meat
• Canned Sauces, Pasta Sauce
• Canned Soups
• Crackers, Granola Bars, Peanut Butter
• Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Salad Dressing
• Fruit Juices
• Honey, Jelly/Jam, Syrup
• Instant Potatoes, Rice
• Macaroni & Cheese, Pasta & Noodles

Please bring these items to the Temple (box for donated foods) or leave a message for me with TBE’s main office and I will pick them up from your house from October 11th – October 25th!

Thank-you!

Jordan Ganz

My name is Jenna Plotzky and I am a 7th grader at Cloonan Middle School. As part of my process of becoming bat mitzvah, I am selling PartyLite tea lights to raise money for the “Kids in Crisis” organization which assists children who are going through difficult times. My goal is to raise at least $1,500. Please join me in my efforts.

You may purchase these tea lights and candles for $1 for two candles or $5 for a dozen on Tuesdays or Sundays or you may make a donation by making a check out to “Kids in Crisis” and give it to me or put it in an envelope addressed to me and give it to the Hebrew school office. Below is some information on this amazing organization which empowers children, teens and adults who are going through difficult times.

The programs and services developed by Kids in Crisis include two emergency shelters, each staffed round-the-clock with professional counselors, a complete on-site medical clinic, a 24-hour Helpline and Outreach counseling and many community- and school-based programs.

They rely on private funding to ensure children receive the high quality care they need and deserve. More than 84 cents of every dollar raised by Kids in Crisis goes directly to the programs and services for the children. Every cent helps these children, teens, and parents.

Here’s what your donation means to the children served by Kids in Crisis:

• $40 – One week’s worth of formula and diaper for a baby in our care
• $80 – Round-the-clock Helpline counseling for a worried parent
• $150 – A workshop in your school to teach kids about physical and verbal abuse
• $300 – Food, clothing and counseling for an abused teenager
• $500 – A complete medical exam and psychiatric evaluation for a traumatized child at our on-site TLC Health Center.
• $750 – Will buy winter jackets, hats and gloves for the children staying in the Crisis Nursery.
• $1500 – Will feed 20 children and teens in our shelter for one week.

Julia Fruithandler – Fleece Blankets

Julia is making new fleece blankets for children in hospitals and collecting new and gently used fleece throws for adults in hospice care.  To raise money for the fleece, she is selling her own delicious homemade jam for $5 per jar.  If you are interested in donating throws, there will be a collection bin by the Temple Office.  To buy a jar of Julia’s jam, please email her at ctfruit@optonline.net.

So far, Julia and her friends have made, by hand, over 25 blankets!

In honor of the many people in my life that have been affected by cancer, I will be running the Hope in Motion 5k race. All the proceeds that the 5k earns will go directly to cancer. The team I am running for is in memory of a well respected soccer coach named Keith, whose life was cut short at an extremely young age due to cancer. People can help me donate money to cancer by going online to hope-in-motion.org and search for my name.

The other part of my mitzvah project is to collect deposit bottles or cans. By collecting deposit bottles, I can use the money I earn from the returns to donate to cancer as well. Other than benefitting cancer, collecting deposit bottles and cans will also help make the temple more echo- friendly. There will be a box placed in the main entrance where you can drop off any deposit bottles or cans you would like to recycle.

For any additional information, please feel free to email me at office@tbe.org

Sam Schulman

My mitzvah project is to hold a toy drive for David’s Treasure Tree located in Stamford Hospital’s Pediatric Unit. David’s Treasure Tree was named in memory of 15-year old David Kanarek, a Greenwich resident who lost his fight with acute lymphomatic leukemia in 2000. David’s parents Robin and Joseph Kanarek founded the Treasure Tree closet.

These toys will be given to kids in the Pediatric Center and the Emergency Room. The toys will comfort them while they are in the hospital and they can bring them home.
A toy from David’s Treasure Tree helped me feel better when I was in the hospital. Now you can donate a toy to help someone else.

There is a need for toys for infants and teens. The hospital is looking for new toys only and they have requested that no stuffed animals be donated. If you’d like to give a monetary donation, checks can be made out to Stamford Hospital (note David’s Treasure Tree on the check). There will be a box for the toy drive collection outside the Temple office. Checks can be dropped off inside the office (note my name on the envelope). Thank you for your help.