Alex's Mitzvah Project

My Name is Alex Reynolds and I want to build an Ark

I'm hoping to use the web and world of mouth to raise enough donations to send out a Noah's Ark through Heifer International

The Goal - Build an Ark with a Web

It takes $5000.00 to donate a Noah's Ark which send sets of animals all over the world to families in communities that are becoming self sufficient after war, natural disasters or extreme poverty.

My Bar Mitzvah portion is Noah's Ark and I want to do something to help the whole world and make a real difference. After the ark story that every one knows, the end of the of the portion talks about the Tower of Babel. This is when God made us all speak different languages so that we couldn't work together. We had to be separate groups to be better people. When people were all connected with one language, instead of working to make the world better, they worked to make something to glorify themselves. Now we have the web, and the whole world is connected to each other again. Instead of building something tall, we've built something flat.

I think we can use the web to prove that people can all work together held by nothing but communication, even if we don't all use the same languages, to build something that helps the world, even if it's just five PayPal dollars at a time. The Ark we're building is to save lots of people not just a few. I'm hoping this site will be part of a viral web campaign it would only take 1000 people connected through the web donating 5$ each to build the ark. Maybe we could even build more arks than just one.

If you would like to ask me about my project you can e-mail me at *

Alexandtheark@aol.com

Ways to Help-

There is a special project at Heifer International called

Alex and the Ark

By Phone
- If you donate to them by phone and tell them your donation- no matter how big or small is for "Alex and the Ark" they will credit that towards our Ark and they will tell us how close we are.
(800) 422-0474

On the Web with Pay Pal
My mom has a PayPal account that she has had to set up for us because Heifer International in not able to accept paypal right now. If you make a donation to Alex and the Ark through Paypal, my mother will transfer it over the phone into Alex and the Ark and e-mail you with confirmation of a donation made in your name (or your e-mail) to Heifer International

By Mail
If you donate money to them by mail and write that it's for Alex and the Ark on the donation they will also credit it toward the Ark

Please make checks out to:
Heifer International - Alex and the Ark Project

Heifer Project International
P.O. Box 8058
Little Rock, AR/USA 72203

With My Gift Registry at Heifer International

I have started a gift registry so that people can donate directly heifer international site - but unfortunately they can't count it towards the ark online but this way everyone can be sure that they are really helping repair the world and I'll record those registry items here so people can add it to the ark money and see if we can reach the ark goals. . .

http://www.heifer.org/myregistry/alexandtheark

How are we building it? Heifer International!

Heifer International is important because it supports repairing the earth in a way that is physical, spiritual and renewing. It part of Tikkun Olam in the way that it supports anyone who is hungry and will work with any group who is working to end hunger. Heifer International provides food, economy and community by being project based. It follows the highest form of Tzedaka according to Talmud, because when someone helps the other person help themselves that is the highest level. Also when you donate to Heifer International, the recipient doesn't’t know you are the one who donated the animals and training and development plan, so it is also anonymous. I think it is important for Jews to remember to help the whole world be repaired, not only the Jewish world.

         Heifer International goes to places that are historically poor, but they also go to places that have been torn apart by war. Heifer International also works in places where Jews have worked side by side with other groups to help like Kosovo. I support Heifer International because I think it is the best way to honor Tikkun Olam in a real way that repairs places I can’t get to myself. They use a project plan and renewable resources and education and economics. I am personally connected to it because my Parsha will be Noah. Noah takes place when we were all one world, before there are Jews, before there are multiple languages, before there is even Abraham! At that point God knew we were truly all one people and we should know that too. I think it’s important to remember Jewish causes when we give, but it’s just as important to remember that we also have an obligation to repair the whole world, not just the parts that affect us. Ultimately, we are part of God’s whole plan and we might be missing something important. Also if we turn our backs on everyone else and just look after ourselves why should anyone else look out for us?