Maplewood boy collects, donates books for mitzvah project

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Even though his bar mitzvah date is 15 months away, Samuel Nasberg-Abrams, 11, of Maplewood, figured there’s no time like the present to start implementing his service project. A student at the Linda & Rudy Slucker Religious School at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange, he has set up a book drive for children whose families are clients of the Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges. The Reform synagogue is one of four local houses of worship that supports the IFPO’s food pantry and other initiatives to benefit low-income residents in Orange and East Orange; Sam’s mother, Susan Nasberg-Abrams, is a volunteer there. Sam was inspired by older friends who were already doing their service projects as part of their b’nei mitzvah preparation. To date, he has collected 780 books.

Thanks to so many generous donors, Sam accompanied his mother on June 13 to the IFPO to distribute 365 books, which will enhance recipients’ summer reading. He also donated 50 books to Clinton Elementary School in South Orange and will bring another 365 to the food pantry at Our Lady of Sorrows, also in South Orange, for distribution in early summer. Sam will continue to collect children’s books throughout the next year so that he can share the joy of reading with other children.

  Clinton Elementary School, Interfaith Food Pantry of the Oranges, Our Lady of Sorrows, Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel