(Courtesy of BC Toy Drive) Rivka, a sixth grader at Yeshivat Noam, will celebrate becoming a bat mitzvah in the coming weeks. Her mother contacted Bergen County Toy Drive director Joy Sklar in June inquiring how her daughter could incorporate a chesed component to her bat mitzvah celebration that would center around the toy drive. After some brainstorming, Rivka and her mom created a wishlist of toys on Amazon that was shared on her invitation asking guests to donate in honor of her simcha. The toys will be used as centerpieces to remind everyone at the bat mitzvah about the project and the importance of kindness and donating.

“I chose this as my chesed project because Chanukah is the holiday for fun and presents. Getting presents is always super special and because my bat mitzvah is so close to Chanukah, it felt like the right thing to do. It makes me feel good knowing that I am brightening up the holiday of so many other kids of all ages.”

The organization is run by volunteers of all ages and is able to keep up their important mission thanks to contributions from donors like Rivka.

The Bergen County (BC) Chanukah Toy Drive, which begins this Monday and runs through Dec. 15, is in its 32nd year. The 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, participate. There are over 50 donating locations, but it is all part of the same initiative to ensure that every child in need will have a smile on their face during the holidays.

Sklar and Dalia Stelzer, who took over the reins 12 years ago, are now joined by Simi Maline and Leora Zomick. Last year they faced uncertainty as the war began, wondering how the drive would be impacted. Many organizations wondered if the drive would even run. Thankfully, the response of the community was impressive. “People were seeking ways to help and get their kids involved too,” said Sklar. “Unfortunately, as the Jewish community focuses on Israel, the local charities are reporting greater needs and turning once again to the drive.”

“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.

Aside from the 20+ charities receiving gifts from the drive, there are local individuals who benefit as well. A lesser-known aspect of the drive is the PrivatePresentsProgram where drive organizers pair donors with local recipients anonymously. “There are community members who might need a boost but are not affiliated with any particular organization,” commented Stelzer. To participate in the program email [email protected].

The organizers encourage donors to take advantage of Black Friday sales at Walmart, Target and Amazon as well as DansDeals, but implore parents to involve their children when shopping. When Sklar visits the schools, she encourages the children to “shop” with their parents, stressing “If you like that toy, then so will another child your age.” Their parents

can take them to a brick-and-mortar store or even go to that closet in their home where they store new but unused extra birthday gifts.

True to their mission of getting children involved in chesed at a young age, the toy drive is also partnering with the 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 ticket. “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 Maline, office manager of Cong. Shomrei Torah in Fair Lawn and BC Toy Drive board member.

The toy drive is run entirely by volunteers. The drive’s success relies on parent volunteers who transport the donations from the schools and synagogues to the packing site, middle and high school students who come to sort and pack up the toys for pick up by the charities and, of course, parents and grandparents who take their children shopping. Every demographic from nursery school children to retirees play a role in this huge endeavor.

To volunteer or make inquiries, email [email protected]. Visit bctoydrive.com to access wishlists, registries and list of receiving charities.