“Caleb” and Binyamin, both 13, live on opposite sides of the globe. They’ve never met –yet they just shared an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime event.
Caleb, who lives in Australia, wanted to mark his upcoming Bar Mitzvah by helping a disadvantaged Israeli boy to celebrate his own. Through the Boys Town Jerusalem website, he discovered the Bar Mitzvah Twinning Program which connected him with an Israeli student named Binyamin.
In the end, both boys gained invaluable gifts.
Turning 13 Into a Mission of Kindness
To reach his fundraising goal, Caleb pledged to complete 13 “long walks” to be sponsored by friends and family. On his personal project page, he posted updates on his walks, from treks through Australia to a family trip to Italy.
By the end of his campaign, Caleb raised A$4000 in honor of his Bar Mitzvah, nearly double his goal!
A New Life, New Challenges
Binyamin, who recently immigrated to Israel from South America, lives in heartbreaking poverty. His father works as a street cleaner, and his mother holds a menial job. With no extended family in Israel, the transition has been especially difficult.
When he entered Boys Town Jerusalem this year, Binyamin was anxious about learning Hebrew and making new friends. To his delight, his teacher Rabbi Yosef Chaim is fluent in Spanish, giving Binyamin the support, trust and warmth to thrive.
A Celebration Filled With Joy
At his festive Bar Mitzvah celebration held in a BTJ synagogue, Binyamin’s only guests were his parents. Yet his classmates filled the room with joy and excitement.
After Binyamin read from the Torah, the entire class enjoyed a festive breakfast – complete with a Bar Mitzvah cake. The celebration continued with a fun outing to a Jerusalem sports center, all thanks to Caleb’s donation.
One Mitzvah. Two Lives Changed.
“The distance between Australia and Jerusalem disappeared, as two very special Bar Mitzvah boys celebrated the invaluable gift of caring,” said BTJ Principal Rabbi Yehudah Rosencrantz.