Dear Friends and Family,

Tikkun Olam translates in Hebrew to “heal the world” or “mend the world.” Because this is one of the core ideas of Judaism, Nefesh (our temple) asks Bar and Bat Mitzvas to do a Tikkun Olam project. To me, Tikkun Olam means to give back to the world and your community and try to make the world a better place. 

For my Tikkun Olam project, I am raising money for a nonprofit environmental conservation organization called Save The Redwoods. Save the Redwoods' goal is to protect the ancient redwoods on the California coast. They protect and restore these trees and forests by purchasing redwood forests and surrounding areas. These redwoods are constantly in danger of being logged which nearly destroyed the entire population of coast redwoods beginning during the 1894 gold rush and continuing to this day. Only 5% of the coastal redwoods remain. 

Since the beginning of Save The Redwoods, the league has worked to protect over 200,000 acres of land. I chose Save the Redwoods because redwoods are incredible and are in danger. 

This summer my family and I took a road trip to Humboldt County to visit a redwood grove with some of the biggest and tallest trees in the world.  While I was there, I felt so peaceful and calm being among trees that have been around for so long, I felt that I was in a holy place.  What makes me so sad is that these groves and forests have almost all been chopped down.  What Save the Redwoods is doing is great, but they need our help to save these magnificent trees.

Love,

Judah