Chattanooga teen promotes acts of kindness for Bar Mitzvah project

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Chattanooga teen is giving back and encouraging others to do the same for his Bar Mitzvah project.

13-year-old Dorian Furr put change in a yellow ark. It is all part of his Bar Mizvah project. He partnered with the Acts of Random Kindness Campaign, also known as ARK. He is passing out yellow plastic arks and asking people to fill them up with change. Once it is full, they then give it to someone in need. That person could be a friend, family member or even a stranger.

“I guess it is going to give you a good feeling in your heart and mind and the fact that you keep doing it, it is just not a one time thing,” Furr said.

He went to Rabbi Shaul Perlstein to bounce ideas off for his project. The ARK concept originated in South Africa.

“The idea is it is based off the Lubavitcher Rebbe used to stress that being kind aside from just being a character trait it has to become a habit,” Rabbi Perlstein said.

Friends helped Furr pass out the arks.

“Once they understood they either took one or more than one. So that was good,” Gabby Czarnecki said.

After the mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, these kids felt it was important to show there is kindness in the world.

“When sad things happen it is more helpful for the whole world if we stand together and just try to get all the hate away,” Callie Czarnecki said.

“To really make a difference we have to hit where the issue is and that is that people are being taught hate. We have to teach love,” Rabbi Perlstein said.

Furr hopes this will catch on to people in the community.

“It is the point of giving something everyday and trying to make a better person,” Furr said.

For more information or to participate in this campaign, visit their Facebook or Instagram page. You can also email them at arkchattanooga@gmail.com.