The Bergen county (BC) Chanukah drive which began this past Monday and runs through November 27th is in its 31st year. The BC Toy drive is a community-wide collection of toys that are distributed to over 20 charities both locally and in Israel. It is the model of achdut. Every Jewish day school and synagogue in the Bergen County area, and some even beyond, participates. There are over 50 donating locations, but it is all part of the same initiative to ensure that every child in need will smile during the holidays.

Joy Sklar and Dalia Stelzer took over the reins 11 years ago. During that decade there have been many new hurdles, like running a collection during COVID. The community has always responded generously.

This year as our community faces new challenges here and in Israel, the directors once again have had to pivot.

In the past, charities received an email from Sklar a day or two after Simchat Torah. That email was delayed as the community’s attention was focused on the war effort. “It was the first time that the charities reached out to me before I got to them. They expressed concern that we would not be running the Toy drive,” said Sklar. “We told them that of course we would make sure that our local charities were taken care of, but that we could not predict how the donations would come in this year.

“These charities count on us annually to help them meet their needs, and we are going to do everything in our power to make sure that happens,” said Stelzer.

The BC Toy Drive has always included charities in Israel. The drive has donated to the OU Rec Center in Sderot in the past but will now focus on the evacuees. In a new initiative to show achdut, the toy drive created cards that students in our local schools are filling out. “We hope to distribute these cards with the toys that are purchased in Israel so that the children in Israel will know that the children of Bergen County are thinking of them during Chanukah,” said Sklar.

True to their mission of getting children involved in chesed at a young age, the Toy Drive has created another new endeavor by partnering with various synagogues’ parent-child learning programs. Many local synagogues have Motzei Shabbat programs, where children with an accompanying adult family member attend learning sessions that often include a raffle for prizes. During the weeks of the drive, any child who brings a toy to donate will receive an extra raffle.

“This is an opportunity for the child to receive recognition for their donation by their local rabbi or youth director, and hopefully will create a lifelong giver,” said Simi Maline, office manager of Congregation Shomrei Torah in FairLawn and BC Toy Drive board member.

When Sklar visits the schools, she encourages the children to “shop” with their parents, stressing that if “you like that toy, then so will another child your age.” Their parents can take them to a brick and mortar store, go to that closet in their home, where they store new but unused extra birthday gifts, or go to the website to access wishlists and registries.

The drive was started by Marla Friedman, a Teaneck resident and mom, to get local children involved in an act of chesed early in their lives. At that time, there were three elementary schools and three synagogues donating but now participation has expanded to over 50 institutions.

As the community grows, so does the need. What started with just a handful of recipient charities has grown to over 20 charities like Project Ezrah, i-Shine, Tomchei Shabbos of Bergen County, Friendship Circle, Yachad, Jewish Family Services, local police department collections and more. Part of a thank you letter from Jewish Family Services read, “Many of our families would not have been able to give their kids gifts. This Chanukah, your generosity went a long way in providing much joy.”

Each charity fills out a google form listing their specific needs and picks up the donations from the collection site. Often these pick -up dates are a week before Chanukah, so the challenge is to get donations early.

The toy drive accepts all new, unwrapped toys for all ages, as well as gift cards. Gifts catering to teens are always hard to find and very much appreciated.

The Toy Drive is 100% volunteer run. The toys donated by the children are transported from each school and shul to the collection site by parent volunteers, and then sorted and packed by our local high school students and retirees. “There is no age limit on chesed,” said Sklar. “We love getting everyone involved!”

For more information and links to registries, visit bctoydrive.com