Page 21 - TheBlueCardJournal2013

Daniel Ben Sotelo-Reiner is on a journey into young adulthood in the eyes of the Jewish community; a community and an identity that Danny has embraced with his whole heart.   Daniel is the son of a cultural Jewish mother and a Peruvian Catholic father. He is also the grandson of Czech Holocaust survivors.  

Daniel’s Jewish education was not traditional. Therefore, it was pure good fortune, beshert (which means “meant to be” in Yiddish) that we found the I.L. Peretz School where there was a welcoming Jewish community complete with Jewish music, culture, values, traditions and holiday celebrations. As he prepared for his Bar Mitzvah, exploring the values of remembrance, compassion, justice and courage, Daniel’s Jewish education evolved with support from his devoted and knowledgeable teachers.  

Guided by the Shuleh’s "Remember Us" project, Daniel researched Hans Pick,

the frst cousin of Dan’s grandfather, who perished with his parents at Auschwitz.  Dan’s grandfather and his parents escaped from Prague, and immigrated to New York.  For Daniel, capturing the harsh reality of a family lost in the Holocaust, was both enlightening and horrifc. For Daniel, the experience brought with it strong compassion and understanding for a lifetime.  When he attended a presentation given by a Blue Card representative, the connection between Holocaust survivors and social action crystalized.

As he took on the challenges of his Bar Mitzvah preparation, Daniel developed a community service project, in which he produces and sells creative duct tape items such as wallets, rings and bracelets. He donates the proceeds to charity. He chose donate to Blue Card. To date, Daniel has raised over $650 for the cause. 

Daniel Ben Sotelo-Reiner Bar Mitzvah Project