This Mitzvah Mensch’s Project Was All About Welcoming Others
Bat Mitzvah Date: November 5, 2022
Meet our latest Mitzvah Mensch, Liv! Liv’s mitzvah project is all about fostering a welcoming environment for residents of The Selfhelp Home. Liv is 12 years old and in the middle of three sisters; she has two younger twin sisters and an older sister. As a lifelong member of Anshe Emet Synagogue, Liv attends Waters Elementary School in Chicago.
Outside of school, Liv is very creative and active! She participates in tumbling, gymnastics, dance, and theater. She recently played Cinderella in her school’s performance of the musical, “Into the Woods”. She’s also on the yearbook staff and in Art Club at school.
Determined to make her Mitzvah project meaningful, Liv decided to connect it to her Torah portion about the story of Vayeira. She explains:
“Men disguised as angels tell Abraham and Sarah they’ve been walking for a long time, so Abraham and Sarah offer them a place to stay. Abraham’s brother Lot also helped the angels out. So my Mitzvah project is all about welcoming people in and being inviting!”
Now that she had decided on the theme to fit the Torah portion of her Mitzvah project, it was time to figure out how she was going to carry this out. Liv and her mother, Brooke, were trying to come up with a plan when they saw a presentation about The Selfhelp Home’s Mitzvah Mensch program at their synagogue. They quickly realized that not only did Selfhelp’s program provide a wonderful place for her Mitzvah project, but that her grandmother, Rebecca, had recently become a resident at the home – making us the perfect fit for her!
Liv and her grandmother, Rebecca H.
Liv and her mom decided to spend their Saturdays volunteering at Selfhelp. This project was extra special to their family as her sisters, parents, and her grandmother all volunteered with her. Liv has been instrumental in creating the welcoming environment she had hoped for. She’s created and delivered Rosh Hashanah greeting cards, played all kinds of games with our residents, crafted sukkah decorations for Sukkot, and even helped give tours of the facility. Talk about a real mensch!
When asked about what becoming a Bat Mitzvah means to her she said:
“It means becoming a woman in the Jewish community, it’s a really special moment – to be combined with family.”
Liv’s favorite part of volunteering at Selfhelp was meeting new people. She truly embodies the welcoming spirit. Selfhelp’s residents have appreciated her visits and contributions to the home. Liv even learned how to play rummikub and brought what she learned back home to teach her mother and her sisters.
Liv and her sisters making sukkah decorations with our residents.
Even before her mitzvah project, Liv helped out with the Summer Bash on the rooftop back in July. She continues to make a positive impact by spreading the word about the Mitzvah Mensch program at Selfhelp; in fact, one of her friends has signed up! We can’t thank her and her family enough for their service to our community.
She finished the interview with a positive remark and a big smile:
“I definitely recommend that other people my age do their Mitzvah project at Selfhelp, it’s been a really fun experience. My favorite part was getting to meet new people.”
Interested in becoming a Mitzvah Mensch at The Selfhelp Home?
Learn more about this volunteer program on our website!
