A million and a half Jewish children under the age of 16 were murdered during the Holocaust. Tragically, we know very little about them. However, there is a special way to remember and honour them.
The Holocaust Centre of Toronto has established a "Twinning" program where a youth, who is becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, chooses to share their moment of becoming "Mitzvah" with a child who perished in the Holocaust and never reached this pivotal age. The "Twinning" will provide a means for remembrance and recognition of these innocent victims and will educate our youth about the Holocaust and its important lessons. It is also an opportunity for a young person to reflect about the implications of the tragedy of the Holocaust on his/her own life.
Through educational research of the "twinned" child, (i.e. background, place of birth, residence and death, history of the locale and time), the Bar/Bat Mitzvah will learn about the "twin", the Holocaust and their own heritage. They then share this information with their family and those attending the service, educating others about one precious life lost in the Holocaust.
Depending on the involvement of the synagogue where the service will take place, the Rabbi may choose to talk about the Holocaust during the service. A printed pamphlet containing the name and brief biography of the "twin" as well as a brief history of the city, town or region where he or she resided is produced by the student and distributed to those attending the service.
This meaningful act is an opportunity for youth to connect with their past and perform their first mitzvah as young Jewish adults -- remembering an innocent victim of the Shoah and spiritually sharing their joyous simcha with that child. In line with the mandate of the Holocaust Centre of Toronto, this project will educate our youth about the Holocaust and its important lessons.
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Preparations for Holocaust Centre of Toronto's Bar / Bat Mitzvah Twinning program normally require 4 to 5 months.
For more information on this program (and other youth educational & volunteer opportunities at the Holocaust Centre of Toronto), please contact Mary Siklos at (416) 635-2883 x301,
or e-mail: bnaimitzvah@ujafed.org.
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