Jolie Cooperman who is hearing, has been inspired to do her mitzvah project by raising funds to get hearing aids for deaf children that cannot afford to buy hearing aids. Jolie has a hearing impaired sister, Shayna. Jolie has raised approximately $1500 to date by saving her allowance, birthday gifts, and collecting donations for a year (from 2004 – 2005). The hearing aid manufacturer has offered to help out by allowing Jolie to purchase a pair of hearing aids for this price. Jolie’s bat mitzvah will be on September 2, 2006 and has reached her goal one year ahead of time – only through one boy who was diagnosed with Connexin 26, and was fitted with SUMO hearing aids that Jolie purchased (with funds raised) in August 2005, when he was three months old. He is now wearing these hearing aids and is responding beautifully. With the help of others, Jolie was also able to obtain a year’s supply of batteries and earmolds for the boy. She won’t stop there! Jolie wants this project and mitzvah to grow, even nationally. Jolie wants to see other kids be inspired to choose this type of mitzvah for their mitzvah project. Over the next few years, Jolie wants to start a National Mitzvah Hearing Program which would allow other kids to accomplish what she have accomplished. That would truly be reaching her goal! If you want to make a donation, please send it to Jolie Cooperman, P.O. Box 3549, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274-9505.