Emma (left) at her friend Brooke's (right) bat mitzvah.
Many students in the US have chosen to support PPI for their bar and bat mitzvahs, asking family and friends to donate to the organization in honor of their special day. However, as Emma from Ellicott City, Maryland proves, you don’t have to be a bar or bat mitzvah to commemorate the event with PPI. Emma, a Quaker Christian, made a donation to PeacePlayers as gifts to three of her friends in honor of their bat mitzvahs. To learn a bit more about Emma’s project, please read the interview below:
Hi Emma, please tell our readers a little bit about yourself:
I am a 13 year old Middle School student in the 8th grade. In my spare time, I love to read, act in plays when I have the opportunity, and hang out with my friends.
How did you find out about PeacePlayers International (PPI)?
I found out about PeacePlayers through my Quaker Meeting when one of the founders (Brendan Tuohey) came to talk to the first day (Sunday school) school students.
Why did you decide to give donations to PPI for your friends’ bat mitzvahs?
I decided to donate to PeacePlayers as a gift for my friends’ bat mitzvahs because of their work in Israel and Palestine. I thought it was a great charity that directly related to the event. I hoped it would interest my friends and make them more aware about ways they can help other children to have a more peaceful and happy life.
What have been your friends’ reactions to their presents?
Many girls my age a really into material things, such as clothes and jewelry, so I was surprised at how many girls came up to me after their bat mitzvah and said how cool they thought my gift was. I don’t think many of them knew much about the conflict in Israel and Palestine, and they really appreciated getting to learn about it and what people are doing to help. They were able to relate to the situation after learning some about Israel in preparation for their bat mitzvah.
Do you have any advice for others that want to do what you have done?
Donating to PeacePlayers was very easy. My parents were able to donate online. The staff of PeacePlayers was very nice and put together amazing packets explaining what they do, and I was able to give them to my friends. The gift was stress free and I didn’t have to worry about getting a different present for each girl.
PPI would like to thank Emma for her support! We truly appreciate the creative way Emma found to celebrate this important rite of passage with her Jewish friends.
If you would like to donate to PeacePlayers International in honor of your friend’s upcoming event, please click here and designate your gift in the comments section. You may also contact Hannah Sloss at hsloss@peaceplayersintl.org.
