When I first learned about Lev LaLev, I thought about how hard it would be for a child to not have a stable home or a family to care for them. Lev LaLev is an orphanage and children’s home in Netanya, Israel, that provides orphaned and disadvantaged girls with a safe home, education, trauma therapy, and a loving environment where they can grow and succeed. They don’t just give these girls a place to live—they become their family.
As I learned more, I realized this isn’t just someone else’s story—it connects directly to my own family. While I feel a strong tie to Israel through my dad and honor my great-grandparents who survived the Holocaust, the mission of Lev LaLev reminds me most of my mom’s dad. My grandfather was orphaned in New York City during the Great Depression. Growing up without parents during such a desperate and difficult time meant he had to rely on the kindness and support of others to survive, find his way, and eventually build the family we have today.
Lev LaLev was founded in 1961 by a Rabbi who survived the Holocaust – just like my great-grandparents did. This rabbi, Rabbi Yekutiel Halberstam, to honor those who died and to give thanks for having survived himself, chose to build a home to take in orphans. So many people are grateful that he did this. And knowing what my grandfather went through in New York, I understand how critical it is for children without parents to have a safe haven and people who believe in them. Someone helped my grandfather when he was vulnerable and alone, and because of that, I am here today. I plan to visit the orphanage while in Israel for my bar mitzvah, to further understand how to support this very special cause.
Becoming a Bar Mitzvah means stepping up as a responsible Jewish adult. It teaches us that when you help one child, you’re not just changing one life—you’re shaping generations. In Judaism, we learn that whoever saves one life, it is as if they saved an entire world. For my mitzvah project, I want to support the girls at Lev LaLev so they have the same chance my grandfather had to rebuild their own worlds. For me, this isn’t just a teaching—it’s my family’s story. Please consider a donation to help me raise support and awareness for Lev LaLev. Thank you for your consideration.