Hi, my name is Julia, I am a rising junior at Minnetonka High School and active member of Temple Israel. I’ve recently started the formal-wear donation drive known as Mitzvah Couture.
Here is more information about how I started Mitzvah Couture. I celebrated my Bat Mitzvah on May 27, 2017, and it was one of the best days of my life. It broke my heart to think of all the young teens who have studied and prepared for their special days who are now unable to be called up to the Torah on the bimah. Though COVID-19 is hopefully a temporary thing, I couldn’t see myself changing the effects on the Jewish community.
I was conflicted with how to help when it’s a family’s choice to choose what they do for their child’s mitzvah if it was during the pandemic. But COVID-19 got me thinking about life’s variables. As I said before COVID is hopefully a temporary issue, so what could I do that would help the Jewish community in the long run. While cleaning out my closet I found tons of Bat Mitzvah dresses I had loved but only wore once. I realized how there are a lot of families who don’t have the means to buy fancy Bat Mitzvah dresses. So I created Mitzvah Couture.
The Mitzvah Couture dress drive is a donation drive that is controlled by the Jewish community. Anyone can give and anyone can receive. With the help of this amazing community, I hope to make girls’ Bat Mitzvah dress dreams come true and become a metro-wide organization. As of now, I have established drop off spots in Edina/St. Louis Park, Plymouth/Wayzata, and Hopkins/Minnetonka. As well as collecting nearly 40 dresses! When synagogues start opening up and people start going, I will start a dress pick up that will be open for various days and times of the week.
I have established numerous drop off locations, and have advertised thus far through the MN Mammalehs Facebook page and Mitzvah Couture’s Instagram. I also recently did an interview for TC Jewfolk that will be published in the next issue. I would love your help as I am hoping to reach a wider audience In the Jewish community.
I am hoping to establish more drop off spots in, Minneapolis, and Mendota heights soon. If you have dresses you can donate, I would truly appreciate it.
Please let me know if you have any questions or want to be a drop-off site.
Please put dresses in the provided bins at:
Kibort House: 2531 Abbey Hill Drive Minnetonka
Goldstein House: 17100 25th Ave N Plymouth
Litman House: 2450 Decatur Ave N. Golden Valley
Hoffman House: 4228 Sidell Trail Edina
The Chabad: 2845 Hedberg Drive, Minnetonka
Sincerely,
Julia KibortInstagram: @mitzvah.couture
