For These
Twin Sisters,
Making a Difference
Through Mitzvah Projects
Is in Their Blood
Rachel Kurland
ISRAEL JE Staff
Rachel Kurland
BAR-BAT MITZVAH
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16 OCTOBER 29, 2015
Remi (left) and Julia Rosenthal
recently celebrated their B’not Mitzvah.

FROM THE OUTSIDE, TWIN SISTERS REMI AND JULIA
Rosenthal are just like any other 12-year-old girls.

They like to play piano. They read Harry Potter, Percy Jackson
and John Green novels. They vent to each other. They like riding
bikes, but not since Remi accidentally fell off one and broke her arm.

From the outside, you would never know that Julia is a can-
cer survivor.

Julia was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumor at about 20 months old.

She received five blood transfusions in four days, among a long
list of other treatments. The diagnosis and medical care was swift
but successful.

Now cancer-free, Julia, along with Remi, decided to give back to
those who saved her life.

For their B’not Mitzvah project, the twins hosted a blood drive
at their congregation, Tiferet Bet Israel, in Blue Bell.

After five hours, 45 pints of blood were collected, according to
Beth Toll, external communications manager for the American Red
Cross Penn-Jersey Blood Service Region.

In just one pint of donated blood are four types of transfusable
products: red cells, platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate. Usually
two or three of these are produced from that single pint, so each do-
nation can help save up to three lives, according to the American
Red Cross.

Their parshah is the story of Noah and the animals that marched
two by two. Likewise, the sisters have spent their lives side-by-side.

The 12-year-olds celebrated their B’not Mitzvah on Oct. 17. They
said they were looking forward to becoming Jewish adults so they
can make their own decisions, connect more to Judaism and do
more for the community.

They were also looking forward to their music-themed post-
Haftarah-reading party. Rather than the traditional giveaway gift
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