Rachel is an animal lover so she dedicated her Bat Mitzvah Project to saving the lives of shelter cats who are most at risk of being euthanized.
The funds she raised were for the Shelter Run Program of the Golden Paw Society, located in Huntington Station, New York. The Golden Paw Society is a volunteer organization dedicated to rescuing cats who have been in municipal shelters for an extended period of time and is committed to finding forever homes for them.
Rachel was among four honorees recognized for her fundraising efforts. She was presented with a plaque for her contribution to the Golden Paw Society at its annual “Golden Gala” fundraising event.
Rachel shared the details of this great Mitzvah Project with Mitzvah Market:
MM: Can you give us details about your Mitzvah Project?
RH: My goal was to raise $1800 to save the lives of 18 cats through the shelter run program of the Golden Paw Society. Why 18? In Judaism the number 18 represents the symbol of Chai. Chai means life. I beat my goal and raised over $2,400 for the Shelter Run Fund to date, allowing 24 cats to be rescued.
MM: Why did you decide to take on this particular project?
RH: A “shelter run” is when volunteers visit the municipal town shelters and rescue cats that have been there for an extended time or who are having trouble adjusting to shelter life. It costs about $100 to pay for medical/food/care expenses for an animal to be rescued. I worked with the Golden Paw Society to create a page on their website so that funds could be channeled to this cause.
MM: In your own words, what does it mean to you to do a Mitzvah Project for your Bat Mitzvah?
RH: He who saves a single life, saves the entire world. This is a quote from the Talmud, the book of Jewish law. While I am not necessarily sure that this was written to include animals, I can’t say for sure that it excluded them either. As an animal lover, the most horrifying thought is for a cat to be euthanized or left in a cage alone and scared for too long because someone thinks it is un-adoptable. Many of these cats, if they had the chance, would make good companions. They need time, love and the chance to get out of a cage. I am hoping to help some of those cats with this project.
Rachel taking good care of one of her rescue cats
Anyone wishing to make a donation to Rachel’s project can visit her web page on Golden Paw Society’s website. Her page contains photos of some of the cats whose lives were saved thanks to Rachel’s Mitzvah Project. For more information on The Golden Paw Society visit their Website or contact the organization at goldenpawsociety@gmail.com.
We thank Rachel for sharing her Mitzvah Project with Mitzvah Market.
