The Twin with a Survivor program is designed to help a B’nai Mitzvah (or any interested student) perform the mitzvah of becoming a witness to those who witnessed the Holocaust.
(The mitzvah: to “Remember the evil which Amalek perpetrated on us.” – Ki Tazi)
The student will meet and get to know a Holocaust survivor or the child or grandchild of a survivor, include the survivor’s experience in his or her speech, and recall that survivor’s story as they grow into adulthood. Because of the circumstances of the Shoah, many survivors never had the opportunity to celebrate a bar mitzvah. None had a bat mitzvah. This is a beautiful way to honor their story as part of becoming a B’nai Mitzvah.
This program is “truly transformative” and has a great effect on the student, and family. It helps students mature and increases their knowledge of the history of World War II, the Shoah, and their Jewish heritage. They learn about human resilience; that one can overcome the greatest trauma and adversity to create a satisfying life and become a valued member of society. Most importantly, students learn that despite all the suffering and losses survivors endured for nothing more than being Jewish, they have chosen to remain part of the Jewish community.
Donation: You can make a donation of $180 in honor of the B’nai Mitzvah.
Questions? Contact Trish DiPette at [email protected].