A rockin’ mitzvah project
Thirteen-year-old Solomon Levin was on a mission. Seated at his drum set behind his bandmates, he began keeping the beat to a rocking rendition of Green Day’s “Paranoid” — wearing a yarmulke.
His band — which includes singer and guitarist Lucas Wilson, 13, bassist Ryder Ponton, 12, and guitarist George Fellows, 13 — played its one-night-only Mitzvah City Limits show outside Betsy’s in Bellaire’s Evelyn Park. And it was more than a rock concert: It was a fundraiser for Solomon’s mitzvah project.
“Mitzvah” in Hebrew translates to commandment, a religious duty. The word is generally used to describe a good deed or act of kindness.
In Judaism, mitzvah projects have become a bar or bat mitzvah custom. Engaging in a special act of giving or kindness is part of the celebration, as youth transition into adulthood on their 13th birthdays.
At Solomon’s synagogue, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, mitzvah projects are a requirement, Rabbi Brian Strauss explained.
It’s all part of the Jewish concept of “tzedakah,” or charitable giving, which is a key component of the religion. He added that the root word is “tzedek,” which means justice.
“It’s a commandment to create justice in our world,” he said. “You have to help those in need. You’re commanded to do it.”
Part of becoming an adult is understanding that commandment and learning the importance of giving, Strauss said.
“At our synagogue, we really want the bar and bat mitzvah students to remember it’s not all about them, but it’s about giving back,” he said. “We want them to get in the habit.”
And Solomon’s Mitzvah City Limits fit the bill exactly, Strauss added.
“It shows a lot of creativity, and it’s very unique,” he said.
“It’s very Sol.”
Brainstorming
Solomon meets each week with teachers at Beth Yeshurun to prepare for his Nov. 26 bar mitzvah.
He studies Hebrew, practices prayers and readies his Torah passage. Part of the preparations for the big day included figuring out a mitzvah project.
Sol’s mother, Melissa Levin, encourages her children to get involved with charity projects from a young age, making giving a part of their routine.
“We started talking about this with Sol a long time ago,” Melissa said. “You need to pick something that will be your big project.”
Knowing his love of music, Melissa suggested, “We can do a gently used musical instrument drive.”
But Sol had other ideas.
“He blindsided me with his maturity,” Melissa recalled. “He was like, ‘Mom, anyone can find their way to music.’ ”
Instead, he wanted to help students with different learning abilities, students just like himself.
“I have a great life, with a great family and go to a great school,” he said. “Not everybody is getting this. I don’t want to be someone who takes things for granted.”
The “great school,” however, was a recent addition to the list.
Settling on a Nook
Sol started attending the Joy School last year, for sixth grade.
The independent, nonprofit institution serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade who have learning differences. The goal is to empower students to eventually return to the traditional classroom.
“A lot of our students come because they’ve struggled elsewhere,” said head of school Shara Bumgarner.
Melissa noticed immediately that the Joy School made a difference for Sol.
“In five minutes, his confidence and self-esteem were restored,” she recalled. “He was finally in a place that catered to his needs. He was where he needed to be.”
The Joy School offers small classes, with six to eight students per teacher.
Instructors, trained to help with learning differences, equip students to understand what works for them — or doesn’t. Youth learn to navigate their own learning styles and become their own advocates.
“Getting a spot there was a gift,” Melissa said. “They know how to teach my kid, and I’m so grateful. School is no longer paralyzing for Sol.”
Sol considers it a privilege to attend the Joy School. For his mitzvah project, he wanted to bring a tool used by the school to another campus with fewer resources.
“Your typical school wouldn’t have these tools,” he said. “It can be hard for kids who can’t have a school like this.”
Sol picked the Nook, an enclosed, padded structure that blocks out noise.
“It’s a great tool,” Sol said. “It’s not just used in school but also in the workplace. It’s really good for getting work done with distractions.”
The Joy School purchased a Nook four years ago and uses it for tutoring, breakout spaces for small group projects or for students who need alone time to work, Bumgarner explained.
“These were designed for open-concept offices,” she said. “The kids love being in them. It’s just comfortable — and it works.”
Sol personally finds the Nooks especially effective.
“It’s amazing — but it’s expensive,” Sol said.
He found a floor model to purchase that would cut the cost. Still, it rings in at $3,000.
Rather than lean on a GoFundMe page, Sol decided to host a rock show to raise the funds.
But first, he needed to build a band.
Bringing a band together
Sol has been playing drums for about two years. He also picked up bass and most recently guitar.
“I love music,” Sol said. “That’s usually my way to express myself. Not to mention, it’s really fun.”
He studied at School of Rock and became a member of the House Band, a program in which students join together and gig. Lucas was also a member of the House Band. The two found the other members of the band at School of Rock. The quartet began practicing, rehearsing three times a week for at least two hours for the past few months.
The band members also developed a playlist.
“We play rock,” Sol said.
Songs by the Beatles, Foo Fighters and Hootie the Blowfish made the set list.
Melissa attended every practice, as did George’s father, Paul Fellows, who has become the band manager. He found a venue that would host the fundraiser — Betsy’s. The restaurant agreed to donate 25 percent of food and drink sales for the cause, and gave the band three hours to perform.
Sol selected Attucks Middle School to gift the Nook.
Beth Yeshurun partners with Reynolds Elementary — and the students from that school end up graduating to Attucks.
“We are so appreciative that Solomon has selected Attucks Middle School students to receive the Nook,” principal Shani Wyllie said in a video Melissa made to promote Mitzvah City Limits.
“We have seen that it is very helpful to students,” Wyllie continued. “We’re really excited to have that opportunity to provide that opportunity to our students.”
Spreading joy
When Melissa told Bumgarner about Sol’s plan, Bumgarner’s first thought was that “it was really ambitious.” Purchasing a Nook was a major expense for the Joy School and required a lot of research. To see a teenager tackle that goal is heartwarming, Bumgarner said.
“Solomon wasn’t swayed by that at all,” she added. “He wants to help kids who are not at the
Joy School. The fact that he has the awareness to think, ‘I have this opportunity to help people’ just makes me love him even more.”
At Mitzvah City Limits, Sol raised close to $6,000. The total included sales from Betsy’s, individual contributions and four underwriting sponsors — Raizner Pediatric Neuropsychology, Genesight, the Joy School and the Center for ENT.
Melissa also hopes the event helped raise awareness of neurodiversity in the classroom.
As for the band, the members want to continue. In the future, Fellows plans to work with the band to develop a few original compositions.
Of course, they won’t be a mitzvah project anymore. But they still have big goals in mind.
In the meantime, Sol continues to plug away at his studies for his bar mitzvah celebration next month.
It’s rewarding to know Mitzvah City Limits helped Houston students gain a new environment that could assist with learning, especially if they have difficulties at school, he said.
And he learned that music and a team of supporters — his band, family and audience — have the power to make a difference.
“It’s really sweet to see that I have a whole crew with me,” he said. “I have a fan club, and that’s exciting. I had no idea that all these people would support me. That’s a great feeling.”