Jewish teens from the Kansas City area attended an evening of ax throwing while raising close to $2,000 for Ukrainian orphans.
The event was hosted by KCTeen, a local Jewish teen organization. A generous donor agreed to donate $50 to the Ukraine-based Mishpacha Orphanage for each bullseye the teens hit. According to Rabbi Avremi Baron, director of KCTeen, the teens were thrilled when they discovered that $50 would cover the costs of a child for a full day in the orphanage.
The event took place at Bury The Hatchet in Overland Park, Kansas. Various games and competitions took place in the ax throwing “lanes,” and a spread of candy was available for snacks. The onsite staff, motivated by the cause, were eager to help the teens perfect their game.
“We are always looking for meaningful ways for teens to give back to the community,” Rabbi Baron said. “Teens all over have been on social media closely following the terrible developments in Ukraine and the widespread refugee crisis. We were excited for them to be involved in the relief efforts in a meaningful way.”
The Mishpacha Orphanage, based in Odessa, Ukraine, cares for roughly 120 children. The facility is named for the Hebrew word for “family.” At the onset of the fighting in Ukraine, they relocated to Berlin, Germany. The dangerous, thousand-mile journey by bus took them through Moldova, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. They were taken in and are being cared for by the Chabad Jewish community in Berlin. A total of $1,900 was raised for the orphanage over the evening.
Rabbi Baron said that with each bullseye, cheering erupted as another $50 was added to the total.
“I’ve been reading and watching so much about the horrible situation in Ukraine,” said Emma Rosenthal, a 10th grader at HBHA. “It was very special to affect the lives of the orphans. The ax throwing was much more enjoyable knowing that we were making a difference.”
KCTeen is a local Jewish teen organization. Built on the belief that the youth are our future, it strives to empower Jewish teens by fostering a sense of pride and responsibility toward Jewish life. The many programs and events aim to build leadership and interpersonal skills by creating fun and impactful opportunities to give back to the larger community.
Those with questions or who want to get involved can contact Rabbi Avremi and Mushy Baron at or (410) 530-4150. KCTeen is on Facebook and Instagram as @kcteen.
