As part of his Bar Mitzvah journey, Judah has spent a lot of time thinking about how he can practice "tikkun olam" ("repairing the world"), which the Torah calls for us all to do. In the earliest days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Judah was profoundly moved by the images, stories, and firsthand accounts of Ukrainian children and their traumatic experiences. When he was asked what he wanted to focus on for his Bar Mitzvah project, he did not have a doubt: he wanted to practice "tikkun olam" (as best he could) for the Ukrainian children.

He's chosen to raise money for the Jewish National Fund in order to support his hopes of repairing a small piece of the world. Judah's family ties are very close to this special place. His great-great-grandparents came to the United States from Odessa, and deep roots still run from the Jewish community in the Ukraine to so many of us here in the US.

By contributing to the JNF, we know that we our supporting so many needy people in the Ukraine and also the refugees who have fled to Israel in desperate search of help. Every dollar he raises will be matched, up to $1.5 million, so your contribution will go twice as far. 

Thank you for considering helping Judah to do his part--all of our part, really--in repairing the world.