A Ronkonkoma bat mitzvah project for China orphans

Rebecca Hirsch is 12 years old and pretty typical in most regards.

She has a cat named Socks, plans to try out for the swim team come spring, just started learning Spanish and isn’t too crazy about school.

But she’s aware that as a 12-year-old who was adopted from China as a baby, she’s lucky to have those opportunities.

“They don’t have everything that we have,” she said. “I always wanted to give back.”

The perfect opportunity to do that came this year, as Hirsch nears her bat mitzvah, the Jewish coming of age ceremony, in December, when she will also turn 13. As a member of Temple Beth El in Patchogue, she was required to complete a community service project, called a mitzvah project.

Rabbi Joel Levinson said he requires each Hebrew school student to complete a mitzvah project before making a bar or bat mitzvah as a way to tie together their coming of age and taking on greater responsibilities.

“Part of that responsibility is giving back to the community,” he said. “To give something that helps others rather than just yourself.”

Levinson said while most students focused their projects on their surrounding communities, Hirsch took a more global approach. She decided to raise money for the organization Love Without Boundaries, which provides support services for orphaned or impoverished children in China.

Rebecca, who lives in Ronkonkoma, decided the simplest, most effective way to raise money would be to collect cans and bottles, which she has been doing since June.

To date, Hirsch has collected 1,500 recyclable containers and raised about $300, including monetary donations. Her goal is to reach $500 by Thanksgiving.

Hirsch is collecting containers in a drop-off bin at Temple Beth El, at 45 Oak St. in Patchogue. More information about donating to Hirsch’s project can be found on her Facebook page.

Love Without Boundaries is a nonprofit organization founded in 2003 that provides foster care, education, orphanage assistance and medical care to Chinese children in need.

“I think it’s just a good thing to do,” she said. “A lot of the kids need surgery or need to go to school.”

Levinson said he liked Hirsch’s project because of her personal connection to it.

“This is a unique project because Rebecca is obviously adopted from China,” he said. “So this is a way for her to reconnect with her heritage and also give back.”

Jayne Hirsch, who adopted Rebecca as a single parent when Rebecca was 8 months old, said she was proud of her daughter because she had always tried to keep her connected to her culture.

The family is actively involved in the group Families with Children from China, which continues the culture for children from China; kept Rebecca in Chinese youth groups; and celebrated Chinese holidays and traditions.

Jayne Hirsch said she is hoping to take Rebecca to China and Israel sometime next year.

“We’re a multicultural family,” she said. “It’s important for her to know where she came from, the customs there as well as the customs here. Her bat mitzvah is also a large part of that.”