Thank you and mazel tov to 12-year-old Talia Jacobsohn who raised more than $3,000 for her B’nai Mitzvah tzedekah project to help support Yemin Orde’s art therapy program. Talia, who is in the seventh grade at the 
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD, is an avid artist. She focuses her work on two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms using different mediums.
“I chose to support Yemin Orde’s art program because I really enjoy art . In art, you have to use your creativity to express yourself,” said Talia. “The Village’s art program lets youth express themselves creatively, too, which helps them feel good about themselves and be better students.”
Talia helped Friends of Yemin Orde create a personal webpage directed at her bnai mitzvah project and then distributed the weblink to the page to friends and family. She also helped promote and organize a spin-cycle fundraising class in which all fees for the class went to Talia’s campaign.
Talia’s successful fundraising efforts will enable her name to be inscribed in the Village’s B’nai Mitzvah Wall of Honor.
Art as therapy
Although Talia has not yet visited the Village, the personal stories and challenges of the at-risk youth at Yemin Orde resonated strongly with her. “I am fortunate to have a good life and want to help others who are not as lucky. I plan to visit Yemin Orde the next chance I get to travel to Israel,” Talia said.
Yemin Orde’s art therapy program provides opportunity for at-risk youth to express their emotional distress in creative ways. Some of the young artists have had their work displayed at the Village’s own art exhibits and Friends of Yemin Orde has created Jewish new year cards that depict paintings by the Village’s youth.
B’nai Mitzvah Wall of Honor
The B’nai Mitzvah Wall of Honor is located at Yemin Orde Youth Village. It is designed to honor the philanthropic efforts of individuals who, after completion of their bar or bat mitzvah, donate $1,800 or more to the Village in order to help its at-risk and immigrant youth.
Friends of Yemin Orde has many mitzvah project opportunities for b’nai mitzvah candidates. Contact [email protected] for more information or call 202.237.0286.