1942 - 2024
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Vice President: David Kramer
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Larry Jackier, Jeffrey Schlussel,
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Philip Slomovitz, of blessed memory
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6 | MARCH 7 • 2024
J
N
PURELY COMMENTARY
student’s corner
Making A Difference
D
uring my winter break, I did a
bake sale for the IDF. At the very
end, I raised over $1,000. Over the
course of one week, I baked around the
clock and made sure everything that was
going to be sold was perfectly delicious
and baked to perfection.
I have always loved bak-
ing, but I did not do this for
the sole reason that I like to
bake. I did it because I think
it’s important to not just use
your words but to also use
your actions. It pains me
just to sit in my house with a
normal life while my brothers and sisters
in Israel are losing their homes, struggling
with sadness and being worried sick 24/7.
I go to a Jewish day school where we
learn about core values and about our
Jewish culture and background. Not only
do I go to a Jewish school but, as an indi-
vidual, I love Israel and learning about my
Jewish culture and background. More than
half of my family lives in Israel. We have
visited Israel multiple times, and I am very
proud of it.
Because of that, I felt a responsibility
to step up and show how much I care.
I would describe my love for Israel as a
Milky Way’s worth of affection and con-
cern. I think if I was raised a different way,
I would not have the same love for Israel
or my education. My parents, grandpar-
ents and friends all had an impact on me
— either by just being there to support
and teach me or supporting my Jewish
education and love for Israel.
So, I put my baking skills to use. I made
several different goodies, such as banana
bread, spiral cookies and brownies. In
total, I baked 20 batches of treats.
My first thought was to sell in front of
stores, but they said no because they did
not want to get involved with this sensitive
topic. That just made me want to work
even harder and push myself out of my
comfort zone because I knew what I did
could help a good cause.
So, I did it out of my house. People who
ordered (strangers and community mem-
bers) came to the house to pick them up.
At the end of the bake sale, we raised so
much money I could not even believe it.
I was completely dumbfounded! We gave
the money to our closest friends in Israel
who were fighting in Gaza. Some of the
money went to buy food for the soldiers
and some to buy a device for guns to help
with aim. I got to help soldiers in Gaza not
have to eat Bamba everyday but real, hot
food they could enjoy as much as possible.
At first, I did not want to write this
because I was taught (in school and at
home) that the best way to do a mitzvah
was anonymously, but I changed my mind
because I thought that this could inspire
other kids just like me who care for and
love Israel to do what they can, too.
Avital Ohana is a seventh-grader at Hillel Day School.
She lives in West Bloomfield.
Avital Ohana
Avital’s
treats