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For Evie Yershon’s bat mitzvah project, she didn’t have to think twice about which organisation to support. With deep family ties to Jewish Care going back generations, the 13-year-old undertook a 13-kilometre run to raise more than £3,000 for the charity.
Evie Yershon at Emirates Stadium for her 13km run[Missing Credit]
“Jewish Care is a charity close to my heart,” Evie said. Her grandmother, Pam Hubert, had, before passing away last year, been a resident at Jewish Care’s Rosetrees care home in the Betty and Asher Loftus Centre in Friern Barnet, where Evie often visited her.
Evie said that during those visits she witnessed first-hand “the love, care, dedication and support of the Jewish Care team. It was evident every time I went to see Nana.”
The sentiment was echoed by Evie’s mum, Sophie, who said Rosetrees staff “always remembered us and made the effort to get to know each of us personally”.
[Missing Credit]Evie with her Grandpa Keith Hubert, a volunteer for Jewish Care's Memory Way Cafe, and handing over a cheque to Jewish Care (Photo: Jewish Care)
Combining her love of Arsenal Football Club with her desire to give back to the charity, Evie decided to run 13 kilometres doing circuits around Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, raising £3,724. Evie said: “I love football, but running 13 kilometres for my 13th birthday just made sense. And, as an Arsenal fan, running at Emirates Stadium was an amazing experience.”
Evie’s grandfather, Keith Hubert, attended Jewish Care’s Memory Way Café with Pam for many years, where they reminisced and connected with other members of the community living with dementia. Today, Keith volunteers at the café, located on Jewish Care’s Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Campus, every other Monday.
His mother-in-law was also cared for by Jewish Care for many years.
Evie’s family ties to Jewish Care are also through her father, Russ Yershon, as he attended the Redbridge Jewish Youth and Community Centre, which later became part of Jewish Care.
Evie Yershon with her family and Jewish Care staff (Photo: Jewish Care)[Missing Credit]
Jewish Care’s director of fundraising and marketing, Ellisa Estrin, said it was “incredible” that Evie was able to blend together two of her passions to honour her late grandmother and support a cause that meant so much to her family.
She told the JC: “We are so grateful to Evie for going the extra mile to raise funds for charity to mark her bat mitzvah in this meaningful and personal way.”
