Finding the Mitzvah in the Economic Downturn

By Ellen S. Hattenbach, Mitzvahs with Meaning, www.mitzvahswithme.com

Got the mitzvah blues? Stressed about throwing the big bash? Squeezed by economic pressures? All that, with a bar/bat mitzvah to plan? Naturally a parent’s first thought is “show me the money”. Days were when the three words most spoken to cherished ones were “I love you”. Over the past two years, they’ve been replaced by “in this economy”. But maybe this economy has cleared a path, opened the door, provided a real opportunity for more meaningful bar/bat mitzvah experiences. The economy has allowed us to celebrate the real meaning of the mitzvah, the elements of this occasion that really matter.

A Bar/Bat Mitzvah is meant to be a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime milestone.
It marks the celebration when a child of the Jewish faith becomes thirteen
(twelve in some cases) and is ready to take on the responsibilities of the mitzvot
(commandments). A child reads from the Torah and, in many cases, a celebration ensues, for this child for this child has now taken his/her place in the Jewish community as a young adult.

But somewhere, over time, communities lost focus -somehow the emphasis shifted to the “bar” at the party rather than on the mitzvah performed by the child. Just one year after chanting Torah, how many of our children can cite the name or meaning of their Torah portion?
Now alas, those three famous words “in this economy” have helped bring back perspective, allowing us to plan bnai mitzvahs where the focus is really on the mitzvah. Still, many families find it a challenge on how to intertwine the Torah portion and tikkun olam (repairing the world) throughout the service, the mitzvah project and the celebration.

To help inspire and give you just one example of how you may weave all the elements together to create a mitzvah with meaning, here is Kira’s story.

KIRA CAN!

Kira, a “can-do” person is someone who, when faced with a challenge, says,
“I can do it!” Kira challenged herself for her bat mitzvah to feed Chicago’s
hungry by collecting 1800 cans of food… and money to buy more.
Proceeds from Project “Kira Can”went to the Greater Chicago Food
Depository, Ezra Food Pantry and Deerfield Food Pantry.
In addition, Kira sent out pink, personalized, save the date tzedekah cans to
all invitees labeled “Kira Can!” Each person was asked to save a penny a day,
then bring the can to her Bat Mitzvah party in lieu of a gift. The designed can
quoted scripture “those that turn the many to tzedekah shall shine like
the stars”.
At the celebration, guests were greeted by a giant 8’ tall version
of the Kira Can with placecards fastened to it. Kira even had a decorated
coin-counting machine like they have at banks so guests could
pour in their change and be part of the contribution to feed the hungry.
Over $5000 was raised right at the celebration.
Kira’s place card display and table names were directly tied to the theme
and were based on mitzvot. Each table’s name started with Kira Can and
finished with a mitzvot (Kira can…”feed the hungry”, Kira can…”visit the sick”).
Kira discussed Project Kira Can during her dvar Torah and talked about
the Torah’s view of sacrifices; she said that nothing she did was
“giving up” anything, but “giving to” others.

“I didn’t only do the Kira Can project because I should,” explained Kira, “but because I could.” Guests left the party with a fresh pink Kira Can asking them to save for a charity of their choice, inspiring others to keep giving. This time the can was filled with a bag of white chocolate covered popcorn- -yum!

Creating a B’nai Mitzvah with meaning requires time, work and imagination to
fully integrate the Torah portion, service project and the mitzvahs into a wonderful celebration- -but it need not break your bank. Yes, “in this economy” more and more families are truly able to put the focus back on the mitzvah rather than on the bar.