Two months ago, “Chaim,” the bar mitzvah boy came with his mother and young brothers and sisters to our shelter.  It is terribly sad that his father didn›t participate in his son’s bar mitzvah, but due to confidentiality issues, I cannot explain why Chaim could not have him there with him.  Despite the gaping absence of the father, I do want to share with you, and celebrate how the shelter staff led by Salit, the Director, took care that this child should have a great bar mitzvah.

Some of the amazing details Bat Melech organized for Chaim:

Volunteers from the community near the shelter came with him to morning tefilla at shul to help him learn to lay tefillin;

A teacher helped him prepare his bar mitzvah drasha;

A minyan was arranged for his AliyaLe’Torah;

People donated candies and new clothes for the mother, bar mitzvah boy and his brothers and sisters;

There was a meal at a nice hall, with music, dancing and a photographer;

A group of high school yeshiva boys came to dance and the Chaim’s friends from school came to celebrate with him;

His teacher from his former neighborhood came to the simcha.

Salit and the volunteers simply took care of everything and it was a very significant, happy and moving event.  There are no words to describe the mother’s happiness.  She just recently arrived at our shelter after years of suffering, but she walked around at the bar mitzvah beaming, shining and very happy. Thank you Bat Melech for welcoming this bar mitzva boy into the Jewish community with the love and celebration he deserved.

Noach Korman is the director of Bat Melech.   He can be reached at noachkor_yahoo. com

By Noach Korman