My Mitzvah Project

For my mitzvah project, I wanted to do something to help children who are in the hospital. This project means a lot to me. When I was really young, I was often sick with strep throat. I had to go to Stamford Hospital a few times for minor procedures and operations, like having my adenoids and tonsils removed. I can still remember these experiences, and I wanted to help other kids who are going through the same thing.

I will be going to the hospital several times this year, to help the Jewish patients celebrate holidays and to cheer them up by visiting with them and bringing them gifts and treats. For example, on Hanukkah I helped to lead a menorah-lighting ceremony and sing-along in the hospital chapel. For those patients who were not able to be there in person, the celebration was shown on the hospital’s closed circuit television station so that people could watch and participate from their rooms. I made Hanukkah cards and goody bags filled with gifts, dreidles, and edible treats to give to the child and adult patients. I will be going back to the hospital to celebrate other Jewish holidays with the patients in a similar way.

I have always loved movies. When I was in the hospital as a young child, my parents always brought movie videos to keep me entertained through the long days. Now I want to bring entertainment to sick children. The hospital needs DVDs for the toy closet in Pediatrics, especially movies that would appeal to kids my age and up to age 17. I will be using some of my Bar Mitzvah money to buy DVDs to donate to the toy closet. It will be fun to choose the movies that I really love and to give them to the children at the hospital. The donated movies will be displayed on the day of my Bar Mitzvah in the baskets on the bima; then I will bring them to the hospital and give them to the children in Pediatrics. You can help me with this project by donating a new or used DVD or video. There will be a basket in the Temple lobby throughout my Bar Mitzvah weekend to collect donations. Please bring in a movie of your choice and drop it in the basket in honor of my Bar Mitzvah.

When I traveled to Israel with my family in the summer of 2004, we visited with children in Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital who had cancer. I tried to speak Hebrew to the Jewish and Arab children there because I wanted to cheer them up. As part of my mitzvah project, I wanted to help the patients in Hadassah Hospital too. I have used part of my Bar Mitzvah money to purchase Hebrew editions of several of my favorite movies. I hope that these movies are entertaining children at Hadassah right now. You can help with this part of my mitzvah project too, by donating money so that the hospital can buy more televisions and DVD players. Checks can be made payable to the Hadassah Medical Relief Association, and sent to the following address: Donor Services, Attn: Jane Marcus, Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem, POB 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.

Make sure to let the hospital know that the donation is in honor of my mitzvah project and should be put toward the purchase of televisions and DVD players for the pediatric unit. You can also order Hebrew movie DVDs online (compatible with the Israeli PAL system), and have them shipped directly to the above address, like I did, through www.Israel-Music.com.

Thanks for helping me to help others. I look forward to seeing you at my Bar Mitzvah!