A bar or bat mitzvah is a Jewish boy or girl’s

A bar or bat mitzvah is a Jewish boy or girl’s most important day of their Jewish life. In a single day, a child becomes an adult in the eyes of Jewish law.
Generation after generation, children await this day with anticipation and excitement. Following months of studying and preparation culminate in a special day surrounded by friends and family.​

Not every child’s bar or bat mitzvah is the joyous occasion it should be however. Some children prepare for this rite of passage having lost a parent. The excitement of this special day is mixed with nostalgia and often uncertainty. “Who will buy me my tefillin?”, “who will I go with to choose my suit or dress?”, “who will be by my side as I receive wishes of mazal tov?”... these are some of the thoughts that might cloud what should otherwise be a child’s most memorable day. Some orphaned children face the added struggle of living in poverty. For these children, a party to celebrate this special day is nothing more than an unattainable dream.
How can we ensure that a child's bar or bar mitzvah is as joyous an occasion as it deserves to be?  
A Smile of a Child works tirelessly to support bar and bat mitzvah children who have been struck by the tragedy of losing a parent, to ensure that their bar and bat mitzvah celebrations are what they’ve dreamed of. We provide these children with tefillin, clothing for the celebration, a party for close family and friends, and a gift.
We may not be able to bring back what these children have lost, but we can bring joy to their special day.