Instead of a present, please help me celebrate my bat mitzvah by making a donation to charity. The charities I have chosen are;

HAPPA- HAPPA (Horses and Ponies Protection Association) rescues and rehabilitates horses and donkeys. Almost every year we have sponsored a chosen animal when we pass the centre on the way back from Monmouth. For my bat mitzvah, I am doing a project on donkeys, and wanted to choose a donkey charity. I feel HAPPA really need and deserve the money, and would be very grateful for anything you decided to donate.

New North London Asylum Seekers Project- Many people in the shul are involved with the asylum seekers charity. It is a drop in which assists refugees who are seeking asylum in this country.  I have visited and helped there and the refugees are in need of comfort, (eg food, clothes etc) which could be helped by the money you donate.

Alyn Hospital– ALYN (Pediatric and Adolescent Rehabilitation Center) rehabilitates infants, children and adolescents who have physical disabilities. Some examples are children who have been injured in road accidents and terror attacks or children suffering from congenital conditions. In cheder we donated money to this charity, but I would like to help them further. The money goes to many things as well as giving these children holidays.

British Friends of Israel Guide Dog centre for the Blind- This charity breeds and trains guide dogs for the blind. They have named one of their puppies after our beloved Safi, and will keep naming the puppies that until one of the ‘Safis’ gets through their scheme and becomes a guide dog. I have chosen this charity partly because I love animals, and partly because my bat mitzvah is on Chanukah, the festival of light, and these dogs help people who are blind.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money  to UJIA myfund and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. UJIA will add a donation of their own and forward the money to the charities. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charities.Please be sure to say in your message which of the charities you want to support.

Thank you so much, Kadya