BabagaNews Mitzvah Machine

Looking for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Project? Try out the cool Mitzvah Machine! It will ask you a series of questions about your interests, what you like to do, and how much time you'd like to commit to your project. Then it will give you a list of suggestions for your mitzvah project! It's fun--try it out!

The Mitzvah Machine from BabagaNews 

 

Women for Women International: Mitzvah Project

A friend recently told me about this organization (which was also featured on the Oprah show), called Women for Women International.  This organization helps the women victims of war in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Rwanda, and Sudan. You will help by providing direct financial aid (as little as $27 a month can make a difference) and emotional support through letter-writing.  I've checked out their financials, and they are rated as an "A" charity by several charity watchdog websites (i.e., they keep their administrative costs to a minimum, and a very high percentage of your money is actually going to help these women in need). Here's a breakdown of where the money goes (taken from their website):

As a sponsor you will be asked to provide a direct monthly contribution of $27 to Women for Women International. A portion of these funds are given to your sister so she can provide her family with basic necessities. The remaining funds are used to provide her with rights awareness training, leadership education and vocational skills training so she can continue to support her family in the future. In all countries in which we operate, $5 of your monthly contribution will pay for the administrative support of the programs.

For example, in Afghanistan women receive $10 a month as cash in hand to support their basic needs; $5 is put into a savings account for the participant for her to use to start an income-generating project or use as collateral for a traditional loan; and $7 is used to buy materials to support her rights awareness, leadership, vocational and technical skills training.

This would be a wonderful mitzvah project for a young boy or girl interested in helping others. When you sponsor a woman, you may send letters of support to your sponsored sister, and you most likely will receive letters back from them (it depends on their life circumstances)--creating a wonderful and caring hands-on connection. Consider fundraising and donating to this worthy cause.

Website: Women For Women International 

"It was only through this program that I realized I could start my own business... My business allows me to pay school fees for my children, to send them to school, the Gahini Shining Star Secondary School"
– Letter from Violette in Rwanda to her sponsor 

The connection to Violette has had such a profound impact on my life... I think about her all the time, in fact on a daily basis..." 
– Violette's sponsor 

Mitzvah Project: Helping Injured Troops in Iraq

When I read about this girl's wonderful Bat Mitzvah project on the Party411 discussion forum, I thought I just had to share to give others the idea as well. She heard that injured soldiers arrive at the combat support hospital in Baghdad without clothes or personal supplies--and the government does not supply such items. As part of her Bat Mitzvah project, she is collecting items (soap, shampoo, shaving items, lotions, etc.) and is sending them to the address below. If your son/daughter would like to make this their mitzvah project as well, send the items to the following address:
TF North Commander’s Office
Attn: CPT Michael Cullen
28th Combat Support Hospital
IZ Baghdad, Iraq
APO AE 09348

In addition, there is a wonderful company called "Treats for Troops" that sends care packages to troops in Iraq. If you don't know anyone personally who is stationed over there, you can "Foster-A-Solder" or "Foster-A-Unit." Another great idea to help our troops and show them that we are thinking of them.
Website: Treats for Troops

A Musical Mitzvah Project

Is your son or daughter a lover of music--perhaps in the school band, orchestra, or chorus? Are you looking for a totally unique mitzvah project which combines music, finding hidden treasure, and rescuing Jewish cultural heritage? Then this project might really make your heart sing!

The Judaica Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University Library collects and digitizes Judaica sound recordings, and they need your help! They prevent this music from being lost forever by converting the vinyl recordings to a digital format. The recordings were produced between 1901 and the present and include not only Hebrew, Yiddish, and English songs relating to the Jewish experience but also other works by prominent Jewish artists. Take a look at their interactive website, where you actually can hear over 4,000 Jewish songs (www.fau.edu/jsa). This mitzvah project can involve fund-raising for this historic effort and/or collecting actual recordings to send to the archives. Do Bubbe and Zayde have some old Yiddish recordings gathering dust in the attic? The JSA wants them! The website even provides pre-printed mailing labels and instructions to make sending the records easy for you. Here is a project that spans the generations and provides a unique learning experience. Perfect for any music lover!