A Complete Tikun Olam B’nai Mitzvah Program
The Ve’ahavta B’nai Mitzvah program encompasses lessons about charitable giving, hands-on volunteerism and the exploration of the Jewish values that underscore what it means to become a b’nai mitzvah. The program is offered four times throughout the school year, enabling families to join at any point during their simcha year. The program registration fee is $250.
The program is comprised of three components:
1. Learn
Attend a one-time workshop at Ve’ahavta’s on the topic of “To Whom are We Responsible?” with other B’nai Mitzvah participants. This is a powerful step in kickstarting the process where b’nai mitzvah families can meet one another, form connections and start planning what they want to do in support of Ve’ahavta. In this last hour, families devise their action plans and consult with staff on what they want to do.
The workshop focuses on:
- the impact your actions have on the broader world
- the concept of tikun olam (repairing the world), and
- the Jewish traditions which make tikun olam a key aspect of the B’nai Mitzvah process.
Parents attend a separate adult volunteer orientation at the same time (1:30-2:30pm) and then join up with the teens from 3:00-4:00pm to learn about ideas for fundraising and the fundraising process. In this last hour, families devise their action plans and consult with staff on what they want to do.
2. Act
Volunteer in a hands-on way with Ve’ahavta. You can:
- Sign up for a shift on our Mobile Jewish Response to Homelessness outreach van, (a 5 to 6 hour commitment
- Prepare food and baked goods for the van
- Run a clothing/supplies drive
Participants can choose one or more actions in any combination. No matter what you choose you are helping to make the world a better place for all.
3. Give
Each participant and their family is responsible for contributing a minimum of $360 to Ve’ahavta’s mission to create positive change in the lives of those who have been marginalized by poverty or homelessness. Become a “funraiser” and think up some creative ideas for how you can help raise those funds, such as donating a percentage of your gifts to Ve’ahavta, running your own online campaign, bake sale or other fundraising initiative
You can set up an online campaign page, with Crowdchange, which you can then share with friends and family.
The program fee for B’nai Mitzvah is $250. We always want to ensure that all interested young people have access to our programs. If you need to discuss a fee on a sliding scale between $150 and $250, please contact us. If you would like to provide a donation on top of the $250 registration which would go towards helping another candidate participate, please also be in touch. Thank you!
If you prefer to send a cheque by mail, please make your cheque payable to Ve’ahavta and send to: 4100 Chesswood Drive, Unit 1, Toronto, ON, M3J 2B9.