"Rolling costumes" - the main idea: assimilating the value of volunteering from a young age

As every year, even this time, and in spite of everything, spring is at the door and as an introduction to this season, the holiday of Purim appears first and foremost. The joy for the children is great... and some go even further and choose a special costume. 

A costume is a piece of clothing that presents the disguised person with an identity that is really, really different from their real identity. In recent years, a custom has emerged in kindergartens and schools of five costume days, in addition to the formal costume day.

There are even schools that increase the number of costumes and announce a schedule during which you must come to school with a variety of costumes. Sometimes the costume includes only a mask or make-up, and sometimes a costume with a class or school theme such as: color day, dress up as "famous" characters, pajama day or sports day.

This is how the educational institutions turned the matter of the custom of dressing up on Purim, (which originated in the 12th century, probably among the Jewish community in Venice, under the influence of the masked carnival that takes place there, spread to all Jewish communities in Europe) - into a week-long "school holiday".

In any case, in Judaism, Purim is a holiday of joy, and the custom of dressing up during this time even increases the joy. The Mahadrin point to the custom of dressing up as a symbol that shows the idea of ​​the reversal of fate, just as happened in the story of the book of Esther when Haman planned to kill all the Jews in the month of Adar and then his fate was reversed and Haman and all his sons were the ones who were hanged on the tree.

Be that as it may, most of the children are happy... and out of this reality grew a group of volunteers who created an association called "Part Association". This association was created with the aim of promoting education for volunteering from a young age. At the core of the idea is the implementation of voluntary projects in the schools and the community and creating close connections between the normative populations and the populations with people with different needs. In the "Part Association" children and youth strive to experience and feel the emotions that arise in them when they volunteer for other children with special needs and thus will embrace these feelings to their hearts and even continue to act and contribute in a voluntary way.

Since 2019, also this year, adult volunteers and school students participate - where the goal is to create empowering costumes for children sitting in wheelchairs and/or using walkers. The essence of the idea of ​​"rolling costumes" is the principle - to turn a disadvantage into an advantage.

This is the sixth year of this project, in which costumes are made for children in wheelchairs. There are some very unique things about the project: in fact there are "two birds with one stone" here.

Explanation: The "Part association" that operates the project was established first of all for the value of allowing young children to volunteer, since this is the most important thing in the project, and secondly to provide a personal example in carrying out the project for the benefit of others.

This year, dozens of schools and various community frameworks participated in the project. For example: my 1st grade children from the "Herzl" school in Haifa - met in the afternoon in the compound of one of the houses to create sea-themed costumes, for the "Gal Or" school in Hadera, where all its students dressed up to talk about things related to the sea. Also, various hi-tech companies mobilized for help and volunteering and host in their complexes the "finning" days in which they create designed costumes for children sitting in wheelchairs. This makes it possible to eradicate a disadvantage and create empowering costumes that cannot be bought in stores.

Michal Ben Shabtai, founder and chairman of the association, says:

"The rolling costumes project is of great importance. Although the association is small, it has a great appetite. This year, Daniel Ben Shabtai (Michal's husband) went on vacation for almost a month to help and participate more strongly in the project, because this year more than 300 costumes designed for wheelchairs.

This is how it happened that the home of Michal and Daniel, located in the Carmelia neighborhood, became a kind of magnet for volunteers, some of whom come regularly and take materials and the task is carried out in their homes.

These days before the holiday of Purim, Michal and Daniel's residence does not look like an ordinary house, but like an art studio... the association has additional projects and big plans and even a start-up that allows volunteering through the Internet. Michal adds and says, "The association would be happy for as many schools and kindergartens as possible to know that there are volunteer opportunities, even within the schools themselves, and even for "just" time during one lesson only. She is waiting for them to contact the association to participate in the project, and especially emphasizes the value of volunteering, recognizing the difference And the support for others - built at a young age, while setting a personal example."

Tzipi Citronenbaum-Rausnitz She is the daughter of a mother who was a handicrafts teacher and herself is a graduate of Shankar majoring in textile design - therefore creation is always an integral part of her life. Therefore, the particularly fruitful occasion for this creation is the holiday of Purim, which is her favorite holiday and in which she invests her time in specially designed costumes.

According to her, "Rolling costumes" is a wonderful place to continue to invest and share the spirit of the holiday and celebration with a child whose disability does not allow him to dress up like the other children. In her opinion, sometimes it is even possible to invent a costume in which being in a wheelchair can be turned into an advantage.

Five years ago Tzipi Citronenbaum-Rauznitz became aware of the special and important project "Rolling costumes". She met Michal Ben Shabtai (the initiator of the project) and joined her at one of the schools in the city, where costumes were needed for children in wheelchairs.

After finishing two costumes she created - she felt that she lacked familiarity with the child for whom she was creating the costume as well as familiarity with the child's parents, all this in order to make the work precise and adapt it to both the physical needs and the specific personal dreams of the owner of the costume.

A year later, Michal introduced her to a lovely family from the Kiryat who have a sweet 4-year-old (now 6-year-old) wheelchair-bound girl named Yahav, and for her personally she continues to create a Purim costume every year.

In order to accurately plan the costume, Tzipi went with her daughter Livi (now 15 years old) to meet Yahav, as well as to take exact measurements of the chair.

In a brainstorming session with Yahav's mother (Orein Davidovitz, who photographed and even gave permission for the publication of photographs of her home), they thought of every detail to make it comfortable and suitable specifically for Yahav's disability.

Thus was born a colorful and colorful costume of the "Candy Queen", which she prepared with the participation of daughter Livi, and this as part of training and education about the importance of the value of volunteering and personal example.

A year later Yahav asked to be a "Rainbow". And this year, a few months after receiving her new motorized chair, Yahav wanted to dress up as the bride sitting in the "groom-bride's car"... and even arranged for her herself a "groom" from kindergarten.

The process of thinking about the costume is shared and lasts several months.

Yahav is excited already at the planning stage and gets to be a part of the process. During the work, Tzipi sends Yahav's family photos of each and every stage. This increases the excitement and involvement of the girl herself, and as a result also the strength of Tzipi.

Yahav leaves Tzipi sweet voice messages and gives feedback, which increase the relationship between them and the motivation of all concerned.

Tzipi and Yahav's mother have many conversations to build the costume so that it will be comfortable and not get in the way or hide anything. Tzipi tries to add this or that item that Yahav can hold in her hand and thus feel more connected. Even after Purim, most of the items remain as a game for her, or become a decoration in the garden.

In the costumes that Citronenbaum-Rausnitz makes, she tries to invest everything she can. This is not only to have a beautiful costume, but also and especially so that the child sitting in it will really feel empowered and the wheelchair will become an advantage, if only for a short time.

Tzipi works while thinking about what the girl sees from her seat, so that the costume will be aesthetic also on the inside and not only for those looking at it from the side. That is, she tries to have beautiful and designed parts that Yahav can see while sitting in the motorized chair.

This year with the "Groom Bride Car" challenge Tzipi's husband, Roni Rauznitz, was also an active partner. He helped in the challenging technical places: sawing, drilling, screwing and even managed to bring "treats" to upgrade the car from people who heard for what purpose they were intended - and they were happy to donate (reflectors, cartons from printing houses, etc.), so that without realizing it the circle of volunteers was expanded.

Tzipi enjoys the interaction and the challenge of getting the costume right. The joint process becomes a celebration for the girl Yahav, the mother Orien and also for her own family. On the day of the disguise when she receives the pictures of Shel Yahav sitting with a smile from ear to ear - after all, her friend has no greater happiness than this.

As you know, the base of the costumes is mostly made of cardboard and everything is handmade and customized for the recipient of the costume. Furthermore, the children in wheelchairs can request a costume according to their ability and imagination. This is also done in the house of Lihya Mazor, who with the help of her daughter Alona (now 11 years old) has been making "rolling costumes" for several years.

This year Lehya and Alona created two costumes for two different children. ...and now, with the delivery of the costumes - sparks of curiosity are already lit in all their creators to find out what the challenges of next year will be.