Young Girl Sends Passover Macaroons to Jewish Soliders

Often the most wonderful and heartfelt mitzvah’s are demonstrated by kids, reaffirming that age-old saying that we truly can learn from our children.

A 7-year-old girl from Pennsylvania has sent 160 cans of kosher-for-Passover macaroons to Jewish soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, the New York Daily News reports.

The second grader, Freida Atkins, was sad to learn that the soldiers would not be able to spend the Passover Seder with their families, which is her favorite holiday. She’s not the only one, either; it’s Amar’e Stoudemire’s favorite Jewish holiday too.

Though she is reportedly allergic to them, Atkins knows how macaroons are the most sought-after Passover treat, and wanted to share them with the Jewish soldiers who don’t have any access to them.

“If it was up to her, all these soldiers would be at our house for Passover,” said Frieda’s mother, Sara. “She wanted them to know that they’re not alone and that they’re part of the bigger Jewish family.”

In order to deliver the treats in time for Pesach, the Atkins family joined the Aleph institute, an organization that serves Jewish soldiers. The organization’s head rabbi, Menachem Katz, commended the young Freida, telling her that while soldiers receive kosher-for-Passover items, they rarely receive dessert.

Freida Atkins stands beside 160 cans of macaroons. Photo Credit: Sara Atkins

Freida, alongside her 7-year-old friend Hannah Brophy, campaigned and convinced a few local supermarkets to donate some cans of macaroons.

Eventually, their friends and neighbors were dropping off cans of macaroons at their doorstep.

Freida currently battles a number of health issues, including Tourette Syndrome and Idiopathic Anaphylaxis. During her campaign, she went into anaphylactic shock and had to spend several days in the hospital, her mother Sara Atkins told the Daily News. Her Passover project to help soldiers, however, “really took her mind off the negative. It really gave her confidence, even when times are tough and things are a struggle,” said Sara.