Make Your Milestone Matter
Turn your Bar or Bat Mitzvah into a movement. Create a meaningful Mitzvah Project with the Jaffa Institute and help change lives in Israel’s most underserved communities.
“If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
But if I am only for myself, what am I?
If not now, when?”
- Rabbi Hillel
Mazal Tov on reaching this special moment!
Your Bar/Bat Mitzvah marks more than just a celebration — it’s the beginning of your Jewish adulthood, where your actions can help repair the world (tikkun olam).
About the Jaffa Institute
Founded in 1982, the Jaffa Institute is a nonprofit serving thousands of disadvantaged children and families each year in Jaffa, South Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, and Bet Shemesh. Our mission is to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty through educational, nutritional, therapeutic, and social enrichment programs.
How it Works
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Learn
Understand the challenges of intergenerational poverty and why your help matters.
Choose Your Project
Select from fundraising, awareness campaigns, or hands-on volunteering.
Set a Goal
Decide how much to raise, who to involve, and your timeline.
Take Action
Spread the word, get your community involved, and see your impact grow.
Teen visit to the food distribution center packing critically needed food packages for those in need
Teen visit to the food distribution center packing critically needed food packages for those in need
Bowl-a-thon Fundraiser for the Jaffa Institute organized in Lower Merion, PA outside of Philadelphia for a Bnai Mitzvah class project
Teen visit to the food distribution center packing critically needed food packages for those in need
Develop your leadership Skills
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Become a Youth Ambassador for the Jaffa Institute
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Educate your peers about poverty in Israel
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Partner with local businesses for sponsorships
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Organize volunteer opportunities for your community
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Share your story online to inspire others
Programs You Can Support
Food Distribution Center – Bi-monthly food packages for 500 households, including Holocaust survivors. Read more
After-School Enrichment – Academic, emotional, and social support for at-risk children. Read More.
Scholarship Program – Higher education grants for disadvantaged youth. Read More.
Parent-Child Center – Counseling, enrichment, and therapeutic programs for families in need. Read More.
Hot Meals for Kids – Provides 80,000 balanced, nutritious meals yearly, ensuring every participant starts the day ready to learn. Read More.
See the Impact You Can Make – Explore All Our Programs
Discover the initiatives we support and find the one that inspires you most.
After your Mitzvah Project:
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Share what you did and what you learned
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Connect your project to your Torah or Haftorah portion
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Send us your photos and stories so we can inspire others
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Continue making an impact by volunteering or donating annually
Let’s Create Your Mitzvah Project
Contact: Mitch Chupak
📧 Email: mitch@jaffainst.co.il
📞 USA: 1-866-471-1923
📞 Canada: 1-866-892-1915
