Jacob's Ladder of Hope – Jacob’s Mitzvah Project

Using a Tree and a Ladder to Tell Our Story

I’m Jacob, and for my Mitzvah Project, I’m working with my community and a local artist to incorporate hostage bracelets into a sculpture for our synagogue to serve as a lasting memory of the tragedy of October 7. This is a sketch of what it will look like.

It will be a metal sculpture of a tree connected to a ladder. The broken rungs that you see at the bottom represent the tragedy and loss. The tree symbolizes the people who survived and us as a community as we grow and overcome. As we get to the top of the ladder, the rungs are sturdy, representing our collective hope for the future.

The curly lines that you see are the bracelets, which will be heated and reformed to become part of the sculpture.

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All funds collected will go towards the creation and installation of the sculpture, which will be unveiled on January 23, 2026, at the Oneg following Shabbat services the day before my Bar Mitzvah.

What are the Hostage Bracelets?

These are the hostage bracelets, created by Temple Sholom to remember every Israeli hostage taken on October 7, 2023. Now that the hostages have been released, the bracelets can serve a new purpose.

Hostage bracelets that will be softened with heat, reformed, and woven into the sculpture.

Why I chose this design

The tree is the tree of life. In Judaism, it symbolizes divine wisdom, spiritual growth, and the interconnectedness of all living beings. The ladder is Jacob’s Ladder, which symbolizes the connection between the human soul and G-d.

At the bottom of the ladder, the rungs are broken, but as you get higher, they slowly come back together.

I chose Jacob's Ladder because in Judaism, the story of Jacob's Ladder is where Jacob dreams of a ladder connecting Earth and Heaven with angels ascending and descending.

Interpretations suggest the dream symbolizes a spiritual connection between G-d and humanity, the ups and downs of life, and Jacob's mission to bring holiness to distant places.

It represents a spiritual journey and the ability to connect earth and G-d through actions and prayer.

The hostage bracelets will be softened with heat, reformed, and woven into the structure. I want to show that the ones who died are going up Jacob’s Ladder to heaven, and the tree represents the survivors, and us as a people growing and healing.

The broken rungs represent the tragedy and how it broke us. As we get closer to G-d on the ladder, it becomes more sturdy, representing our spiritual healing.

The Artist: Miran Elbakyan

Sculptor Miran Elbakyan

The artist who is bringing this idea to life is Miran Elbakyan. He was born in Armenia and moved to Israel as a young man. He served in the Israeli military for 3 years. When he was done his service, he started as an artist, opening his own blacksmith shop. In 2013, he came to Canada and worked with different artists for 4 years before opening up his own shop on Granville Island called BC Blacksmith. He has created many amazing pieces, and I hope everyone will take the time to stop by his shop!

I spoke to Miran about some of the experiences he had while serving, as we were bringing the idea to life.

We also talked about how the broken rungs and the growing tree can show both our grief, our strength as Jews, and our resiliency as a people.

What the Tree and Ladder Mean to Me

The tree symbolizes survivors, community, and new growth.

The Broken Rungs

The broken rungs are the parts of us that were shattered — the moments of fear, sadness, and loss that we still feel.

The Sturdy Rungs

The higher we go, the more sturdy the rungs get, showing how we can slowly heal, especially when we stay connected to G-d and to each other.

The Tree

The tree represents the survivors and us as a people, growing new branches, supporting each other, and trying to bring more light into the world.

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How You Can Help

We are trying to raise $5,000. This will cover the cost of creating and installing the sculpture, and any additional proceeds will be donated to Kibbutz Nahal Oz, which was hit very hard on Oct 7, 2023.

You can help by:

Making a donation
Buying candy I’m selling at Temple Sholom
Sharing this project with family and friends

Fundraising Progress

Donate to Jacob’s Project

This button will take you to Temple Sholom’s website, where you can donate and receive a tax receipt. Jacob is fundraising through donations and by selling candy at the Temple until the goal is reached.

Where the Sculpture Will Be

The sculpture will be installed in the foyer by the main doors to the Social Hall.

Temple Sholom is my synagogue. It’s where I’m having my Bar Mitzvah, and it’s where this sculpture will be placed so people can remember, reflect, and feel hopeful as they walk into the Social Hall.

Project Timeline

Final Design Complete
The design of the sculpture has already been fully completed with artist Miran Elbakyan.
Fundraising Period (Now → early 2026)
I am raising funds by collecting donations and selling candy at Temple Sholom until we cover the cost of the sculpture and installation.
Fabrication of the Sculpture (Approx. 2 Weeks)
Miran has already begun heating and reforming the hostage bracelets and building the piece. The full fabrication process will take about two weeks.
Installation at Temple Sholom
After fabrication, the sculpture will be installed in the foyer of Temple Sholom, right by the main doors to the Social Hall.
Unveiling on January 23, 2026
Following Shabbat services the day before my Bar Mitzvah, the sculpture will be officially unveiled for the congregation and community to experience for the first time.

Once fundraising is complete, fabrication will take approximately two weeks before installation.

See the Sculpture in Progress

Watch the artist shaping and forging the metal that will become the Jacob’s Ladder of Hope sculpture.

Artist Miran Elbakyan forging part of the sculpture.

Supporting Kibbutz Nahal Oz

Any funds raised above the $5,000 needed to create and install the sculpture will be donated to Kibbutz Nahal Oz, a small agricultural community less than a mile from the Gaza border that was hit very hard on October 7, 2023.

The kibbutz lost lives, suffered kidnappings, and saw much of its infrastructure destroyed. Today, many residents are still displaced across Israel while the community plans and works toward returning and rebuilding a stronger, more resilient home.

By helping fund this project, you are also helping support the rebuilding and future of Nahal Oz after an incredibly difficult time.

Thank You!

Thank you for helping me bring this vision to life.

Thank you for reading about my Mitzvah Project and for supporting it in any way you can — by donating, sharing, or thinking about the people we are remembering.

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