(Courtesy of Yad Leah) Yad Leah recently welcomed several groups of mothers and daughters from local shuls to their Volunteer Center in Passaic as part of each shul’s year-long bat mitzvah program. The participants engaged in the hands-on chesed activity of sorting and packing hundreds of items of clothing for their brothers and sisters in Israel.
Rebbetzin Chani Krohn of Young Israel of Teaneck had been looking forward to bringing the Young Israel of Teaneck bat mitzvah group back to Yad Leah. She shared, “Year after year, Yad Leah provides a meaningful chesed opportunity for the Young Israel of Teaneck bat mitzvah mother and daughter group. They always have excellent staff members leading the group, explaining the impact of the packing efforts and showing that doing chesed is enjoyable and fulfilling.”
Rebbetzin Rebecca Belizon from Young Israel of Fair Lawn marveled at how the bat mitzvah girls “took the lesson of chesed and put it into action.” Belizon shared that during the 90-minute program, she observed, “Each girl saw how she can contribute and make a difference for Klal Yisrael. It was so special and meaningful for the girls and their mothers to be involved in the wonders of Yad Leah.”
Similarly, the BMOB bat mitzvah girls and their mothers were excited to come to the Yad Leah Volunteer Center for the first time. Rebbetzin Michal Goldberg reflected, “Packing clothing at Yad Leah was the perfect place to teach our bat mitzvah girls about taking action to do chesed. It also encouraged the girls to think outside of themselves and consider the needs of others. And we also had a blast folding and packing clothing together!”
Participating in a meaningful chesed activity at this pivotal juncture helps young girls develop into committed and passionate Jewish adults. By engaging in these acts of kindness, the bat mitzvah girls are able learn the importance of giving back and begin to build a strong foundation for a lifetime of community involvement.
For more information about how to incorporate Israel and chesed activities into a simcha and for all other inquiries, visit www.yadleah.org, or email [email protected].
