Becoming an adult can mean putting other people's needs before your own, and two Radlett sisters have marked their Jewish coming of age ceremonies by doing just that.
Abi and Eli Samuels, of Newlands Avenue, celebrated their batmitzvahs by raising money for World Jewish Relief (WJR), a community-run charity offering youngsters in the UK the chance to befriend children in Eastern Europe.The pair contributed through WJR's twinning project, in which Jewish children in Britain are twinned with someone their age abroad at the time of their barmitzvah, for boys aged 13 or batmitzvah for girls aged 12.Money raised in this country is sent to the 'twin' to support their education for a year, provide food, clothing and shelter. In return, the child in the UK receives updates and photographs from their new friend.Last year, Abi, 14, raised £700 by selling more than 300 fairy cakes, and now 12-year-old Eli has followed in her footsteps, receiving sponsorship to bake and then donate 300 biscuits to a homeless shelter in Watford. She raised around £1,000 for WJR in the process. Both girls were allocated 'twins' in Ukraine.Abi, who made 316 cakes, said: "People sponsored me to make as many fairy cakes as possible and sell them in class."The money raised will go towards my twin's lessons and will make sure she has enough food and is safe."Eli added: "I decided to help a girl called Reveka who lives in an orphanage in Ukraine to have the same opportunities as me."
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