Building Together

Another way that Jews showed God they were sorry was by performing acts of charity. For my mitzvah project, I've created a fundraiser for a cause that I hope to keep fighting for even after my bat mitzvah for several years to come. My non-profit is called We Grow with Israel: Lizkor Mishpachteynu: To Remember Our Family. After the attacks of October 7, thousands of homes on kibbutzim were destroyed and hundreds of thousands of Israelis were displaced. I met with Oren, who survived having terrorists in his own house while saving and defending his whole family. Oren is a landscape designer in Israel who is building a therapeutic garden of desert plants and trees on a kibbutz in southern Israel. I am taking steps to fund this garden because my Hebrew name, Hadassah, means willow tree. Although nature causes can be overlooked, especially with all the need in Israel right now, a small bit of nature like a tree can help someone find peace. I think a garden where people can gather and reflect about October 7 and think about all the future growth that Israel has to offer is a beautiful and worthwhile project. Trees will be planted in memory and named especially for the victims of October 7th. I hope that many of you will be inspired to give to this initiative and make a difference in this project.

Hello. My name is Cole Lucas Stopnik. This December, I was hoping to become a Bar Mitzvah in Israel. Going to Israel means a lot to me. For starters, my family members live there! They live in a kibbutz in the Golan Heights, the same place where I took my first steps! All of my Israeli cousins either will or have served in the Israeli Defense Force. I haven’t been in Israel since I was 2 and I was really hoping to return this winter to make more memories. Sadly, due to Covid restrictions, I was not allowed to make the trip.

 

As I was getting ready for my Bar Mitzvah, Rabbi Rebecca told my cousin, Noah, and I about a wonderful charity called Building Together. Building Together is a non-for-profit organization that creates connections between Palestinians and Israelis. By creating joint projects, such as manufacturing date honey, Building Together improves lives for both the Israelites and the Palestinians. The foundation is starting with agricultural initiatives for the Palestinian and Israeli farmers that will develop products to market both in Israel and in the United States. I have been lucky enough to taste the hard work that goes into the creation of the delicious honey!

 

This past May I watched the outbreak of violence from the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. I saw bombs, destruction and guns, but no peace for 10 scary days until a temporary peacefire was announced. Building Together knows it can’t stop the Middle East conflict, but it is trying for something on a smaller scale, to develop shared respect for both the Israelis and the Palestinians while also providing an economic benefit. Personally, I believe Building Together will give Palestinians a chance to cultivate relationships and co-exist with Israel. Hopefully, this small step will lead to a much bigger change. I believe that Building Together will build bridges to connect both communities. I would greatly appreciate your support in honor of my Bar Mitzvah. 

Your donations can get:

80 Caps and Jars                                         $20
36 Kilos of Raw Dates                              $54
Date Processing Tables                           $100 (10% of $1,000 full cost)    
Filling and Capping Machine               $250 (10% of $2,500 full cost) 
Date Cooking Tank                                    $400 (10% of $4,000 full cost)  
Date Press                                                      $500 (10% of $5,000 full cost)  
Vacuum Cooking Tank                             $750 (10% of  $7,500 full cost)  

As you can see, every donation helps

Here are some photos from Israel, Palestine, and Brooklyn:

Israeli and Palestinian Farmers Meeting Together:


One of the Palestinian Date Farms:


President of the Brooklyn Islamic Center with the Founder of Building Together, Ben Jablonski:

Hi everyone,

I have chosen a wonderful and game-changing organization to partner with for my Bar Mitzvah project called Building Together. Building Together is a charity that is working hard to reverse years of animosity between Israelis and Palestinians by creating an opportunity for them to work towards a common goal together. The organization forms an alliance between Israeli and Palestinian farmers and assists in the sharing of knowledge, training, farming tools and technology, including ways to address lack of water and other environmental problems, facing Israel and the Palestinian Authorities. The farmers grow dates and produce date honey. As the Israelis and Palestinians form a peaceful relationship, while farming, they learn to know each other outside of politics. Israelis and Palestinians work together and put aside their differences to make this sweet product, forming bonds and working towards a peaceful coexistence.

My cousin and I were fortunate to meet virtually with the leaders of this foundation and an Israeli farmer, who shared her experiences living in this tumultuous region and how her friendships grew with her Palestinian co-workers. We also learned the process of making the date honey, and even got to try a jar of this delicious product.

If we can help this group of hardworking farmers get more resources and machines to make the date honey, more Israeli and Palestinian farmers can be employed by this organization and work together to grow their business. By working together for a common goal, they will build respect and trust of one another and strong friendships that will help overcome hate in their communities and bring peace to the region.

Please join me in supporting this important and transformative cause by donating with the links below.

Thank you so very much for your support.

Wishing everyone a very happy holiday season!

Noah