j. - More teens opting for a charitable element to rite of passage

j. - More teens opting for a charitable element to rite of passage: "More teens opting for a charitable element to rite of passage by gabrielle birkner aish hatorah resources The latest movers and shakers on the philanthropy scene may now be in the middle of a game of freeze dance. Teenagers celebrating their bar and bat mitzvahs have emerged as a major charitable force — with many giving away their monetary gifts, totaling millions annually. An eighth-grader who has severe nut allergies, Ian Callender, recently asked invitees to his James Bond-themed bar mitzvah party to donate to the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute. The New York City resident’s request brought in $30,000. That money enabled the institute, housed at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, to purchase a new machine that helps doctors detect allergies. Ian’s family asked him to consider giving away his bar mitzvah money, and the youngster decided it should go to help other people with food allergies. “Every time I go to a restaurant, I have to ask, ‘Are there nuts in this?’ and ‘Am I okay eating this?’” Ian, 14, said. “It’s been a major part of my life. I wanted to make my gift personal.”"