While a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is not an “adult” by any measure today, the onset of the teen years certainly is the beginning of the gradual transition into adulthood. As such, one of the most important lessons of adulthood that Wise seeks to teach our B’nai Mitzvah is that Jewish adults have a responsibility to repair our broken world – tikkun olam. We cannot be bystanders or merely passive passengers through life; we must be actively engaged in the world because it needs us to be more whole. It is for this reason that the tikkun olam project is an integral part of our preparations preceding the actual Bar/Bat Mitzvah service.
To assist our families in guiding their b’nai mitzvah student towards choosing a meaningful tikkun olam project, we’ve prepared this web page with project ideas, links to resources, and a form to complete so that the staff at Wise will be aware of your project and can offer assistance, as well as guide you to partnership with other students interested in similar work. You can see some past projects HERE.
Visit these websites and see our list below for help brainstorming a project
This list is a suggested guide but if you have a passion about a cause or an organization you want to work with, you are still welcome to work with them!
Homelessness
Ways to Give – Hope the Mission
Organization Description:
- Hope the Mission seeks to prevent, reduce and eliminate poverty, hunger and homelessness. They do this by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions.
- Project Description: See this page for ways that you can help.
- Age: Depending on project.
- Website: Hope the Mission – formerly Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission
Food on Foot:
Organization description:
- Food on Foot is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting the poor and homeless of Los Angeles through programs that provide nutritious meals, clothing, work opportunities and ultimately the transition to full-time employment and life off the
- Project description: You can help distribute food and clothing to the homeless and poor on any Sunday, from 3:15 p.m. to 5 p.m., in our Hollywood location (1625 N. Schrader Blvd.) Volunteering requires a $20 donation, for both children and
- Age: Anyone 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult
- website: https://www.foodonfoot.org
LA Family Housing
- Organization description: LA Family Housing helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty by providing a continuum of housing enriched with supportive
- Project Description: Collect items for welcome home baskets, outreach bags or organize an encouragement note writing
- Age: These are the recommended projects for those under
- Website: Advocate to End Homelessness | LA Family Housing (lafh.org)
Shoes for the Homeless
- Organization description: Do you have extra shoes crowding your closet floor or tucked away in bags or boxes? We would love to give them a new home! Check out the different opportunities for community involvement and action!
- Project description:You can help Shoes for the Homeless provide shoes to the homeless and to those in need, free of charge, in our local communities. Do a collection drive of new and lightly-used men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes for your B’nai Mitzvah.
- Age: The Youth Ambassador Program is open to teens from 13-18.
- Website: ShoesForTheHomeless.net
Environment
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Climate Justice
- Organization description As Reform Jews, we have an obligation to the earth and all of its inhabitants. Our Jewish texts and tradition teach us a dual responsibility to “till and tend” (Genesis 2:15) the earth and to “love your fellow as yourself” (Leviticus 19:17-18). It is this tradition that leads us to see climate change as more than just an environmental issue. Climate change is an ethical, political, public health, and – above all – a social justice issue. Climate justice is about the real human-felt impacts of a changing environment and the urgency that places on us to act.
- Action in California Contact Rabbi Ron Stern for more information
- All Ages
Tree People
- Organization description: TreePeople is an environmental nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire, engage and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun and sustainable and to share our process as a model for the world.
- Project description: Trees need people, and people need trees – especially in urban areas. Volunteers are needed to help us plant and care for trees throughout greater We plant trees on streets, at schools and in parks. Once the trees are planted, we commit to caring for them for five years. Urban Forestry volunteer events take place on weekends throughout the year in different locations around the region. Events take place from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome and no previous training is necessary. Pre-register on their website).
- Age: People under the age of 18 not accompanied by their parent or guardian must provide a parental consent form at the event. In the Angeles National Forest specifically, volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or
- website:https://www.treepeople.org/volunteer
Compassionate Friends and Mentoring
The Book Truck
- Organization description: Our programming is designed to encourage even the most reluctant readers: we carry the books that teens want the most and staff our truck with a diverse group of trained teen volunteers who make informed book recommendations to their peers and help them select the “right” book. Read more what makes us unique here.Empowering teens around books paves the way toward a brighter future. We help teens fall in love with reading who may never do so without The Book Truck, giving them a chance to create a pathway out of poverty.
- Project description: book drive, collect books at the temple and school, usually individual, link to amazon wish list, bring a book from wishlist, book truck will come for a book sort, only collect YA books.
- Age: collect at any age, to be a recommender you must be 13
- Website: http://www.thebooktruck.org/
Friendship Circle
- Organization description: The Friendship Circle’s mission is (1) to provide Jewish children who have special needs with a full range of social, recreational, educational and Judaic experiences; (2) to provide their parents with respite and support; and (3) to enrich, inspire and motivate Jewish teenagers through sharing of themselves with others.
- Project description:
- MVP program ( Mitzvah Volunteer Program) It is a 4 week orientation program that teaches volunteers how to interact with children who have special needs. Volunteers will learn about various disabilities through interactive activities, appropriate conduct when volunteering, the importance of giving back to the community and the huge impact they can make on others. After completing the 4 sessions they will culminate in a volunteering experience here at our facility. This is also a good way to incorporate our organization as part of a Bnei Mitzvah project. The next session takes place in March and RSVP are required.
- Volunteers are also able to attend Birthday Bash, Holiday programs, Basketball club and in some cases Friends At home
- Age 12 and up
- Website http://www.fcla.org/
Make Shabbat Boxes for Wise Hearts to Deliver to Hospital Patients
- Our own Bat Mitzvah student, Lily Turndorf has started our Shabbat Box Program and invites other Bar and Bat Mitzvah Students to help make these heartwarming and healing gifts for community members in hospitals during Shabbat.
- Project Description: Consider making Shabbat Boxes for Wise Hearts! It is a box that contains a beautifully decorated challah cover by you, a challah roll, 2 LED Shabbat candles, grape juice, mints and the Shabbat prayers. Our clergy and Wise Hearts committee members will deliver boxes when they visit Wise members who are in the hospital for extended periods of time. Lily’s hope is that this becomes an ongoing project that future B’nai Mitzvah students will take on as their own Tikkun Olam project so that we can make more boxes to keep the program going. Lily has also asked friends and family to donate to Wise Hearts to be able to continue to fund this amazing project (other Bar and Bat Mitzvah students can do the same). It’s Lily’s hope that “this project brings our Wise members some sunshine on their path to healing.”
- Age: B’nai Mitzvah students.
- For more information: Contact Lily Turndorf at [email protected]
ETTA
- Organization Description: ETTA serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families, and is one of the premier providers of such services on the West Coast. ETTA’s services include residential housing, case management, employment training and placement, educational services and social services. Student volunteers will work directly with special needs clients of all ages at Etta Israel on a variety of projects. Time is flexible and opportunities are varied.
- Age: This is a perfect hands-on project for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah student. Contact Leah Schachter at Etta for more information. (818) 439-5951
- Website etta.org/mitzvahproject
Wise Readers To Leaders
- 7th and 8th graders may now serve as remote readers for Wise’s premier summer Literacy Program serving the LAUSD community.
- Read via the phone to a k-3 grader once per week.
- Books provided by Wise Readers to Leaders.
- WRTL staff will also trained the 7th or 8th grader to be a mentoring reading buddy
- For more information, click here.
Happy Hats for Kids in Hospitals
- Project: Vibrant, holiday-themed Happy Hats are given to hospitalized children, their families, and hospital staff six times throughout the year. These adorable hats are hand embellished with sparkling decorations that evoke laughter and smiles throughout the halls.
- Age: All
- Website: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES | Happy Hats for Kids
Israel and World Jewry
Beit Issie Shapiro
- Organization: Beit Issie Shapiro is Israel’s leading developer and provider of innovative therapies and state-of-the-art services for children and adults across the entire range of disabilities impacting on over half a million people annually. Beit Issie Shapiro promotes social change though a three-pronged approach: development and provision of cutting edge services, changing attitudes in society and advocating for better legislation, and sharing knowledge throughout Israel, as well as internationally, through research, consultation and training.
- Project Description: Beit Issie Shapiro’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah Project educates boys and girls abroad about children with disabilities and provides them with opportunities to connect their joyous celebration with their peers with disabilities. By sharing your simcha with Beit Issie Shapiro, you will play a key role in tikun olam-building a better world, encourage attitudes of acceptance, tolerance and caring, and experience an emotional connection with children with disabilities in Israel.
- Website: https://en.beitissie.org.il/
American Friends of Israel Sports Center for The Disabled
- Organization: The Israel Sport Center for the Disabled is one of the world pioneers in the field of sports rehabilitation. The Center opened its gates in 1960 and specializes in the physical and psychological rehabilitation of children and youth. For almost 60 years, it’s remarkable staff and volunteers have encouraged the disabled to participate in a variety of sports activities and to benefit from the countless ways in which sports is healing.
- Project Description: Help collect and raise funds to purchase a state-of-the-art wheelchair for disabled youth to participate in wheelchair basketball. Each teen fundraiser will receive their own page on the ISCD website to help promote their efforts.
- website: http://www.afiscd.org
Tech for Teens:
Share your mitzvah with teens in Israel
- Organization description: NA’AMAT USA is a nonprofit volunteer organization that partners with NA’AMAT Israel to provide vital educational and social services for women, children and families in need, in Israel.
- Project description: Consider including NA’AMAT in your wonderful celebration! Our TECH 4 TEENS Program is designed specifically for you.
Some teenagers in Israel aren’t quite as fortunate as you are. Some come from underprivileged backgrounds, have learning disabilities, family problems, behavioral issues and other challenges. NA’AMAT creates a safe, empowering environment for these troubled teens struggling in traditional high schools. With 20 Technological high schools and 2 residential youth villages, we offer training in communications, photography, computer graphics and culinary skills as well as basic academic subjects. However, as technology evolves, we need to provide the tools our students need to excel. They lack the basics – computers, software, printers, cameras, projectors, all the things we may take for granted. NA’AMAT gives these teens a second chance. They gain confidence, self-esteem, acquire professional and vocational skills that enable them to graduate and become productive citizens of Israel. With your help, our students can thrive and succeed through our Tech 4 Teens program. Partner with Tech for Teens by: donating a portion of your money to support our technological high schools in Israel, encourage your family and guests to make donations to NA’AMAT USA in honor of your bar/bat mitzvah, mention your mitzvah project in your speech or as part of your event invitation, and/or provide information about Tech 4 Teens from NA’AMAT to display on the tables or as part of a centerpiece - Age: B’nai Mitzvah Students
- website: https://naamat.org/naamat-has-over-20-technological-and-agricultural-high-schools-helping-over-3500-students/
Los Angeles and The World
Donate to Wise’s effort to help Ukrainian refugees
Stephen Wise Temple and Congregation B’nai Jeshurun of Short Hills, N.J., are teaming up with United Hatzalah of Israel to raise funds for Operation Orange Wings, which will bring medical aid to Ukraine and evacuate refugees to Israel.
United Hatzalah’s Operation Orange Wings charters flights from Israel to Moldova, laden with medical supplies and medics to aid refugees from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Those same planes then return to Israel with 150 refugees seeking to flee the conflict.
The Wise community and Congregation B’nai Jeshurun are committed to raising funds for one such round-trip flight. Every dollar raised will go to aid those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine—regardless of race, religion, or national origin—and every dollar raised above the cost of one of these flights will go to fund additional cargo planes carrying more aid supplies to Moldova.
Jewish World Watch:
- Organization description: Jewish World Watch (JWW) works to end genocide and mass atrocities worldwide by educating and mobilizing individuals, advocating for policy changes and funding projects to support and build resilience in conflict-affected communities.
- Project description: Your particular project starts with you. What do you think is wrong with the world? What problem would you hope to solve? Thinking about what keeps you up at night and talking about it with your parents, friends or rabbi will bring clarity and help you choose an issue that is right for you.
Once you have come up with a particular concern and have identified an area in which you can make an impact, think about how much time you have, what resources you have, what obstacles you might face, and who can assist or partner with you. With these things in mind, you can set your goals and figure out what is practical for you to accomplish.
Next, think about what you are good at and what you like to do. Most people start working on a mitzvah project during the year leading up to their Bar/Bat mitzvah service. Think about what could be interesting enough that you would want to do it for a whole year. (taken from mitzvah project guide: http://www.jww.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/BnaiMitzvahGuide.pdf) - Age:
- Website: http://www.jww.org/take-action/student-activism/bnai-mitzvah-projects/
Big Sunday
- Organization description: Big Sunday connects people through helping. We provide a wide variety of opportunities and projects that bring people together to improve lives, build community and give people a sense of belonging.
- Project description: Visit their website to see a community calendar of different events happening across Southern California – you can even search by what interests you!
- Age: each project is different, so please read the descriptions closely to be sure you fit the requirements.
- Website: calendar.bigsunday.org
Food Forward:
- Organization description: Food Forward rescues fresh local produce that would otherwise go to waste, connecting this abundance with people in need, and inspiring others to do the same.
- Project description:
- our Farmers Markets are still the best way for students to get involved. We collect fresh, local produce that would otherwise go to waste at 19 weekly Farmers Markets and donate 100% to local hunger-relief agencies. Volunteers help us collect donations of fresh produce from vendors at the Farmers Market and box, sort, and weigh the produce. Volunteers should be comfortable carrying boxes of produce that may weigh up to 40 pounds, but don’t need to worry about bringing equipment or transporting the food. This opportunity is open to volunteers 12 years old and older, though children under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
- Students can also volunteer at our Backyard Harvest Fruit Picks. Volunteers help us pick as much fruit as possible from trees, and pack it into boxes to be donated. Volunteers should be comfortable picking and carrying boxes of fruit, but don’t need to worry about bringing equipment or transporting the fruit. This opportunity is open to volunteers 5 years old and older, though children under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
- Students can also contribute 1-2 additional volunteer hours by creating some sort of project based on your volunteer experience. This can be a blog piece, short video, or photo-essay. This project should be something that they can share with friends and other students, and also something that Food Forward could share with our community.We don’t have any strict requirements for this, but it should be something that takes thought and work, and should promote Food Forward’s mission. Students can earn 1-2 additional hours of service for this project, but they must have volunteered at Food Forward Harvests or Farmers Markets prior to beginning their project. Please submit this to [email protected] in order to have it count towards your volunteer hours.
- Age: under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
- Website: https://foodforward.org/