Stephanie Kelly chose to collect clothes and school supplies for children in the impoverished township of Langa, South Africa for her bat mitzvah mitzvah project after visiting there with her family and being moved by the extreme poverty. She collected over 200 pounds of donations from her congregation and others. While shipping the donations directly was too expensive, the tour company transported some of the donations and a local church in St. Louis will help distribute the rest to schools in the area. Stephanie also donated $1,000 to the preschool in Langa so they could purchase additional supplies locally.

1. DestinationSt. Louis M O n d a y , J a n u a r y 2 6 , 2 0 0 9
Mitzvot from the heart our community’s bar and bat mitzvah projects
DestinationSt. Louis
Stephanie Kelly of the world. When we visited a town in
Central Reform Congregation South Africa, I found my snake easily. It
was easy because we went to Langa, a very
poor township outside of Cape Town. This
After her vacation to South Africa area consists of only blacks.
last summer, Stephanie, daughter of Julie “I was out of my comfort zone because
Greenspoon-Kelly and her husband Ste- on the streets people would look at us in
phen Kelly, knew exactly where she wanted hatred, but some would think we were
to put her efforts for her mitzvah project. gods because of our skin color. We visited a
Her family visited the township of Langa, daycare that cared for underprivileged boys
on the outskirts of Cape Town. Langa is and girls. We also visited a neighborhood
one of the areas that were designated for where the houses were constructed from
black Africans before the apartheid era. four plates of steel, put together to make
It is the oldest of such townships in Cape one room, their house. There was no run- lected. Shipping to South Africa can be
Town. ning water, their toilets were not even as complicated and is very expensive, as one
Stephanie and her family spent a day nice as our Johnny on the Spots, the streets shipping company quoted the Kellys $500
with a local tour guide who took them were dirt, the kids ran barefoot, and the un- for 15 pounds.
to Langa to experience the life and living employment rate is 70 percent. Travel Beyond, the Kellys’ tour opera-
conditions of the millions that live in the “There are not just 20,000 or even tor, was very understanding and supportive
impoverished townships around South Af- 50,000 people that live this way; there are of the situation and took two 50-pound
rica’s major cities. Part of the tour, which millions alone in South Africa. boxes with them on their last trip to Johan-
included a stop at the Dalukhaanyo Pre- “This trip to Africa forced me to think nesburg, South Africa in November. A
school, touched Stephanie deeply. The kids about the way I live. I realized that I take tour company there then shipped the boxes
ran to her, jumped on her and played with for granted all that I have. We can’t be to Cape Town, arriving Jan. 13. Ultimately,
her. The poverty was so overwhelming that afraid to confront our snakes. I confronted they will be delivered to the preschool.
Stephanie knew she wanted to help these mine, and now I want to help the people Stephanie then donated the other 100
children. of Langa, South Africa. This is what my pounds to the Third Baptist Church on
She made a point of including her trip tzedakah is about. I am collecting clothes Grand Avenue, as they have relationships
in her Torah portion commentary at her and school supplies for the families in the with several midtown elementary schools.
bat mitzvah. Her Torah portion spoke of Langa Township. I will ship the clothes “It didn’t make sense to give a shipping
the snake’s role in the eviction of Adam and school supplies to the daycare, and the company that kind of money. Instead, we
and Eve from the Garden of Eden, where teachers will distribute the clothes to the sent a check for $1,000 to the preschool
the snake represents the hard things in life children’s families.” so they could buy the supplies, clothes and
that we have to confront. To collect these items, Stephanie, a stu- food locally,” Julie said.
The following is taken from Stepha- dent at John Burroughs School, included a If you are interested in making a do-
nie’s commentary: card with her bat mitzvah invitation de- nation in Stephanie’s honor, please send
“Over the summer I took a trip to Af- scribing her mitzvah project. The CRC a check to the Dalukhaanyo Preschool at
rica with my family. The trip was not only congregants and others were extremely New Flats/P.O. Box 209, Vokwana Way,
fun, but I also learned a lot about the rest generous, as 200 pounds of items were col- Langa 7455, Cape Town, South Africa.