Bar Mitzvah

"A Bar Mitzvah is a wonderful joyous occasion" – people like to say. A joyous occasion free of the pain of childbirth, free of the stress and worry which accompanies the building of a new home. An occasion where the joy is complete.

A Bar Mitzvah is indeed a wonderful occasion, yet not always is everything so perfect.

A boy about to become Bar Mitzvah dreams of a magnificent celebration in a fancy hall, gourmet catering including a rich and luxurious buffet, beautiful music and a photographer snapping gorgeous pictures.

A boy preparing for his Bar Mitzvah imagines himself dressed in a well-fitted, fashionable suit, shiny leather shoes, cufflinks and an expensive tie, his entire appearance bespeaking glory.

A Bar Mitzvah boy waits for the moment he will take his beautiful Tefillin out of their plush, silver-embroidered velvet pouch, and excitedly don them for the first time.

Won't we allow him to fully experience his most special day in his early years?

Will we not help him fulfill his dream, if only in part, in a way which will energize him for the years to come?

For many Bar Mitzvah boys, there is a real concern that their dream will always remain… a dream, never to be materialized.

The financial hardship which turns the day-to-day existence in his parents' home into a struggle for survival, does not allow them to give his special day the attention it deserves.

The celebration is sometimes organized under so much pressure and strain, that the parents would perhaps prefer to make do without the festivity and all the expenses it entails, if they only could.

The daily pursuit of minimal means of subsistence leaves no breathing space for other, equally important needs, for the young boy's physical and emotional wellbeing.

The Birkat Hashem volunteers devote themselves heart and soul to fulfilling the dreams of these boys.

The volunteers meet with the parents, review their financial situation, compile an orderly list of expenses, determine which expenditures can be avoided and which points should definitely not be waived upon, pinpoint what help is needed, and set to work.

A unique, customized program is designed for the family in preparation for the event. Targeted support ensures that the funds do not disappear in the black hole of regular expenses. And of course: a high-quality suit, new shoes and whatever is required to complete the royal attire of the Bar Mitzvah boy - everything is given with love by Birkat Hashem.

And the boy's shining, grateful, and happy eyes speak volumes about the significance this support has for his spiritual and emotional future.