Yavneh seventh grader Pacey Hornblass has been hard at work, not only getting ready to lain parashat Yitro for his bar mitzvah in a few weeks, but also raising funds and awareness for The Bayit Association.
Because he always enjoyed participating in Friendship Circle and Yachad events, Pacey knew that for his bar mitzvah project he wanted to do something that would benefit the special needs community.
According to its website, “The Bayit Association was founded as a financial support, fiduciary partner, and oversight institution directing the establishment of kosher, Shomer Shabbos homes for adults with developmental disabilities in our community.”
Pacey’s had learned about The Bayit Association from his parents, Moshe and Ricky Hornblass, and became inspired to set up the chesed fund called “Pacey Hornblass’s Bar Mitzvah Campaign for The Bayit Association’s First Home—For Housing Jewish Adults with Special Needs/Developmental Disabilities & Autism.”
The Bayit Association is currently in the midst of raising funds for the renovation of its first group home in Teaneck, where a group of young men with developmental disabilities will be afforded the opportunity to live independently in a frum neighborhood. The home will allow this group of individuals to contribute to the community in a meaningful way while imbuing them with a feeling of success and accomplishment.
Pacey explained, “Working on this much needed chesed project for our community means so much to me, as it will make our community as a whole even better. I was told that my Zaidy Albie always used to say ‘reach for the stars.’ We are reaching for the stars with this project. I am dedicating this bar mitzvah chesed project in his memory to my Zaidy, Dr. Albert Hornblass.”
Pacey has set a lofty goal of $1 million to help raise the necessary funds to help fill this need within the community. Even though he knows this is a very big endeavor, he is ready to reach for the stars in order to help in any way he can and hopes that other bar and bat mitzvah kids will carry the torch by also taking on this very worthy cause for their own mitzvah projects.
To help Pacey reach his $1 million goal, visit “Pacey Hornblass’s Bar Mitzvah Campaign for The Bayit Association’s First Home—For Housing Jewish Adults with Special Needs/Developmental Disabilities & Autism.”
To learn more about The Bayit Association and see how you can get involved visit https://bayitnj.org/
By Jewish Link Staff