Last year, 13-year-old Sydney Lefton of St. Louis took on her biggest Bat Mitzvah challenge – putting books in the hands of inner city kids. “For my Mitzvah Project I decided to help create a library for North Side Community School which is located in the city,” she says. “This is a charter school and every year they’ve been able to add a grade on for the oldest students to continue their education.” 

Currently, the school goes up to 2nd grade. Though these are ultra-important years for new readers, during a field trip visit there with her 6th grade class, Sydney was shocked to learn that the only books in the school were supplied by teachers. This discovery was the starting point for her big book idea!

For 12-year-old Sari Cohen, soccer is more than just her sport. It’s also a way to team up her bat mitzvah project with disabled kids who can benefit from playing the popular game.

Sari – who’s entering 7th grade at Rockwood Valley Middle School – will celebrate her bat mitzvah in November at Congregation Shaare Emeth. For her mitzvah project, she scores points by volunteering at the Special Needs Soccer Association (SPENSA), a St. Louis-based program that gives boys and girls with mental and physical disabilities an opportunity to participate in organized matches.

Going to Bat for At-Risk Kids

Last March, 13-year-old Justin Weisman went to bat for kids in disadvantaged countries.

That’s because he chose to support “Pitch in for Baseball” for his mitzvah project, an organization that accepts donations of new or gently used baseball equipment, like bats, balls, uniforms, and helmets. The equipment enriches children’s lives all around the globe – from Nicaragua to China – by exposing them to the sport that Justin loves so much.

Abby Mills’ summer trip to Israel made a big impact – not just on her, but on other kids thousands of miles away. That’s because the 7th grader has helped to buy school supplies for Ethiopian children in Israel’s Yokneam-Megiddo region.

When it comes to going green, Hannah Cropf is true blue.

In fact, at a time when hanging out at shopping malls is the mantra, 15-year-old Hannah has environmental activism on her mind.