Bar Mitzvah Boy Scores Big by Helping Israeli Youth in Safed

An American Jewish bar mitzvah boy ups his game on giving by creating a basketball program for underprivileged youths in Safed.

A very special New York bar mitzvah boy named Josh Wasserman recently gave the Ethiopian community of Safed, a small city in northern Israel famous for its history and nature, a renovated basketball court, special uniforms, and a new coach for a year-long training program, free of charge. Opting to donate his bar mitzvah presents to the Give a Mitzvah—Do a Mitzvah program, Wasserman chose to improve the lot of underprivileged Ethiopian children in Israel and strengthen the ties between the American and Israeli Jewish communities.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE ETHIOPIAN JEWISH COMMUNITY

“Give a Mitzvah — Do a Mitzvah program of the UJA-Federation of New York enables bar and bat mitzvah students to create their own unique mitzvah project that connects their interests and hobbies,” said Brittany Wayne of the UJA-Federation of New York. The project allows participants to brainstorm ideas and then contribute their time, energy, and a portion of all of their gifts to this mitzvah project. “Josh’s project is truly amazing. Not only does it provide other young kids a great example of how to become more involved in philanthropy, it also helps to strengthen the relationship between the Jewish community in New York and in Israel,” she said.

Prompted by his love of basketball, the young Wasserman was inspired to create his project after learning about the economic difficulties that Ethiopian olim children face after his father returned from a visit to Israel as part of a UJA-Federation of New York Mission Trip. A 2008 report by the Israeli State Controller found that 20 percent of Ethiopian Israeli children don’t go to school, and that drug abuse and crime rates are significantly higher in the Israeli Ethiopian youth population than they are in the general Israeli community.

JOSH WASSERMAN’S MITZVAH

“I was looking for a way to do something special and meaningful in connection with my bar mitzvah. Since my family and I are passionate about the sport of basketball, we were thrilled to find a way to allow Israeli kids to experience the sport that we love so much,” said Josh. “I’m so fortunate that I’m able to give the kids in Safed the chance to play competitive basketball on a real team with their own coach and new court.”

Josh’s siblings, inspired by their brothers good deed also contributed to the cause. His older brother Daniel is also representing the United States in the junior soccer team of the 19th Maccabiah Games and his younger brother Adam loves basketball as well. Both of Josh’s parents are also sports fans, while his younger sister is still finding her athletic passion.

By Rachel Avraham, staff writer for United With Israel

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