In modern Jewish tradition, one of the various ways that students prepare for their bar and bat mitzvah celebrations is to complete a mitzvah project.
This project is a unique combination of service or social action and Jewish ritual that the bar or bat mitzvah will complete and it will be related to the idea that they are now responsible for abiding by Judaism’s commandments.
On Aug. 20, Danya Paley’s bat mitzvah project was presented to the Milwaukee Jewish community. Together with The Paley Tennis Center of Glendale, Danya and her family invited The Israel Tennis Centers to Glendale and held a fundraiser for them. About 50 people attended.
The evening began with Israel Tennis Centers coach Rakefet Benyamini introducing the delegation from Israel. This six-person tennis team was made up of children and young adults from various backgrounds. They played a match with a local group from the Paley center.
Benyamini didn’t neglect to mention life in Israel and how it feels at the moment, as “we are still in the midst of war with Gaza.” She talked about existence in the bomb shelters and how life goes on regardless.
Israel Tennis Centers (ITC) is an organization that strives to improve the lives of children in Israel by teaching such life skills as self-reliance and perseverance.
Some of their programs include addressing children at risk and in danger of adopting destructive life patterns, introducing them to programs that combine sport and role-modeling.
The ITC also addresses coexistence in Israeli society. With so many different cultures living in one area, it is easy for conflict and tension to arise. ITC coexistence programs bring children from different segments of Israeli society together, according to the program’s website.
ITC also has endeavors for children with special needs and immigrants and refugees, according to the site.
Zabrina K. Tamarkin is administrative coordinator for the Israel Center and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
Loading ...