My name is Rafael Nussbaum Vazquez and for my Mitzvah project I wanted to start a new scholarship fund to help support undocumented students who can not receive financial aid to attend college. In 2023, the Tuition Equity Law was passed in Massachusetts. The law helped undocumented students access in-state tuition and state financial aid benefits if they lived in Massachusetts for three years and had a high school diploma. I am trying to help those who still don't qualify for this law because they have not lived in Massachusetts for three years. This is a big issue, and it’s important to me because I know how hard it is for a newcomer (person new to the US) to receive access to a good education and the opportunities they could gain from it. This fundraiser will fill this gap.

I interviewed a local high school senior. She shared that she and her family have been living in the US for a year and a half. They left home because of the unsafe situation there and because her dad wanted more opportunities for the family. Her experiences in the states has been positive so far and she is really focused on doing well in school. During the interview, I asked her what she wanted to study in college. She said “I'm interested in becoming a surgeon because I want to help improve people's lives through medicine. I'm passionate about understanding how the human body works and I’m motivated by the idea of ​​being able to intervene directly to save or improve a patient's health”.

Many of us, including myself, can take the opportunities we get for granted. In Judaism, Tzedakah means righteousness, justice, or giving back. Many immigrants have come to this country in hopes of a better and safer life, including my great grandmother who came here as a child from Europe escaping the Holocaust. She then attended college with three kids at home in a time when that was not expected. She was then a kindergarten teacher for many decades and is now living in Amherst. This new scholarship will help students not eligible for The Tuition Equity Law so that they can take some college classes and improve their life and help their families.

I am looking to raise $6,120 by May of 2026 to help three students attend college. Please help support this cause. No amount is too small and we would appreciate it if you could spread the word. We will be sharing this on social media and if you see the post, we ask that you reshare it with others.

Thank you for your support!

Rafael