Livingston Teen Holds ‘Jail And Bail’ For Bat Mitzvah Project

LIVINGSTON, NJ — An Essex County teen is earning her Bat Mitzvah with a unique fundraising event and statement on gun violence in Livingston.

On Saturday, Sept. 14, Rayna Stern will spearhead an event she’s calling “Jail and Bail,” which will raise funds for Orange Ribbons for Jaime, a charity devoted to advancing “common sense gun safety.”

The group is named for Jaime Guttenberg, who was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida on Valentine’s Day in 2018.

At the public event, volunteers can be “arrested” in the name of charity, getting their mugshot taken, appearing before a 12-year-old “judge” and being put in a mock lockup until their bail is paid via donations.

The event will include food and arts/crafts for kids. All proceeds will benefit Orange Ribbons for Jaime. It takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Livingston Senior/Community Center, 204 Hillside Avenue in Livingston. (Learn more about this local event)

“At my temple we do Mitzvah projects for a charity of our choice and without a hesitation I chose Orange Ribbons for Jaime,” Stern wrote.

She continued:

“Orange Ribbons for Jaime is an astonishing charity that helps out other’s with common sense gun safety and gives money to other charities that Jaime Guttenberg liked. Some of them are Jacob’s Pillow, Paley Institution, and The Humane Society of Broward County which are all things I support too. I want to support Jamie and her father Fred and I hope I can make a difference. Gun violence NEEDS to stop.”

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