January 31, 2002

A Rite to Remember

OU Solidarity Mission Participates in Bar/Bat Mitzvah Celebration of Recent Ethiopian, Iraqi, Irani and Russian Immigrants

The scene could not have been more inspiring as the smiling faces of 44 twelve and thirteen year old immigrants were welcomed into adulthood as newly bar and bat mitzvahed men and women.  The participants, originally hailing from Ethiopia, Iraq, Iran and Russia, are all graduates of the highly successful Makom baLev Program in Lod and Ramle, run by the Orthodox Union's Seymour J. Abrams Israel Center in Jerusalem.

In the presence of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi Doron, more than 100 members of the OU Solidarity Mission and friends and family of the celebrants, the OU Israel Center held a gala Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony that marked the conclusion of a year of study in which the recent newcomers were initiated into the customs, history and ritualistic practices of Judaism.

According to those in attendance, the ceremony was the emotional highlight of the OU’s most recent solidarity mission to Israel. “To see these immigrant children saying divrei Torah, dancing and singing with true simcha, was so emotionally moving for us,” said Joanne Yelenik, of Silver Spring MD. Sherry Perlowitz, of Midwood, NY, added, “We brought gifts for the children, and they gave us gifts, in return. But their greatest gift was that they made us feel welcome and showed us how much they appreciated our presence.”

As part of the service, the youngsters performed a number of short plays and recited words of Torah, stressing the importance and centrality of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah in their lives. OU President Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb recounted, “It was a wonderful thrill to see 350 Israelis and 180 visiting OU members coming together to create a real sense of unity through dancing, singing and Torah.  The experience enabled us all to see clearly that the priority of our Mission was not only to support the Israeli economy and give strength to the citizens of Israel, but also to teach our children the importance of achdut with ALL members of the Jewish community and the value of a continuing Jewish education in the home of our ancestors.”

A special moment in the program came when Ora Nechama Krupka, from Brooklyn, NY, joined the Israeli children, and celebrated her Bat Mitzvah alongside them.  She presented her new Israeli friends with gifts and letters from her classmates at the Shulamis School, all of which were carefully written using their seventh-grade Hebrew skills.

Based in Jerusalem, the Mission’s itinerary included a full week of briefings, visits to significant religious sites and strategic locations, and meetings with religious and political leaders. The group attended a reception with President Moshe Katzav at his residence, and held a dinner for United States Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer. They were also addressed by Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein and Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, as well as by Tourism Minister Rabbi Benny Elon and Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert.  “I have spoken before an OU audience five times in the last four months,” said Mayor Olmert.  “This shows that the OU continues to come to Israel when so many others are canceling their trips.  Your organization repeatedly makes its presence known and shows by example how committed you are to standing by us no matter how hard the political situation gets.”

Visits to Kever Rachel, Hevron, Gush Etzion and other critical areas were interspersed with tours of important Jerusalem locations, and optional trips to Safed and the Dead Sea. But it was the interactions with ordinary citizens that made the strongest impression. “That people can continue to lead normal lives in such stressful circumstances is extraordinary,” said Jay Ticker of Brooklyn, NY.  Many others also shared their admiration for the spirit and apparent comfort level of those whom they met both in major cities and in settlement towns and villages.  While many of those on the week-long trip came from the Greater New York area, some began their journeys in other parts of the country such as Baltimore, MD, St. Louis, MO and San Diego, CA.

As with previous OU/RCA Solidarity Missions, the highlights of each day were posted and updated on the OU’s popular website, with photos and reports for all to see, almost as they happened.

The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of America and beyond, is a world leader in youth work, advocacy for persons with disabilities, synagogue services, adult education and political action.  Its kosher supervision label, the OU, is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 250,000 products in 68 countries around the globe.

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