South African teens step up in the Bibas Children Youth Impact Challenge

A powerful initiative inspired by the memory of two young Israeli children is capturing the imagination of Jewish high school pupils across South Africa. 

The Bibas Children Youth Impact Challenge, launched by the Jewish National Fund South Africa (JNF SA) and The Base synagogue, is inviting teenagers to transform ideas for kindness and community impact into real projects that make a difference. 

The initiative honours the memory of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, the red-haired brothers who became symbols of innocence following the atrocities of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Rather than responding to the tragedy of their deaths with silence or despair, the challenge asks young people a simple question: What if we respond with kindness and action instead? 

The programme is being rolled out across major Jewish high schools, including Herzlia Schools, King David High School, Yeshiva College, Torah Academy, and Cape Torah High. Pupils can enter individually or as teams. 

The response so far has been extraordinary, and remarkably diverse. 

Several teams are exploring how artificial intelligence and technology can be harnessed to do acts of kindness at scale. Others are focused on promoting Jewish learning and identity, while environmentally conscious students have submitted ideas centred on recycling and sustainability. 

A particularly strong theme running through the submissions is solidarity with Israel and support for Israelis affected by the ongoing war. Some scholars want to create platforms or initiatives that maintain emotional and communal ties with Israelis still living under the shadow of 7 October 2023. 

The breadth of ideas also reflects a genuine cross-generational spirit. Some projects aim to support the elderly – combatting isolation and helping seniors stay connected – while others focus on enriching the lives of young children. There are even proposals to beautify Johannesburg’s Westpark Cemetery, bringing dignity to those who are no longer with us. 

The challenge was given special meaning when Ofri Bibas, the aunt of Ariel and Kfir, travelled to South Africa last month to launch the initiative. Witnessing the energy and commitment of Jewish pupils first-hand moved her deeply. 

“I was so inspired by the enthusiasm and vibrancy of Jewish children across South Africa,” she said. “Seeing young people so far from Israel embrace my nephews’ memory with such warmth and purpose filled my heart. I am deeply grateful for the love and support of this community, and I cannot wait to see the incredible initiatives these young people will create in Ariel and Kfir’s names.” 

Participants who sign up will receive a special Batman Bibas badge to wear on their school blazers. 

The challenge unfolds in several stages. 

Phase 1, currently under way, asks students to submit their team and a short overview of their idea. The deadline for this stage has been extended until after the Pesach holiday. 

In phase 2, pupils will receive mentorship and guidance to develop their concepts further. Participants will refine their plans and run small pilot projects to test whether their ideas work in practice. 

The most promising initiatives will advance to the final stage, where selected teams will pitch their projects in a Shark Tank-style presentation to a panel of judges. 

Top projects will receive prizes and micro-grants to help scale their initiatives and expand their impact. 

The project organisers emphasise that meaningful change often begins with ordinary people choosing to act. 

“When something terrible happens in the world around us, it’s easy to feel helpless. We scroll through the headlines, we feel upset for a moment, and then the world moves on. But sometimes we are given a different choice, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were two beautiful redhead little boys whose lives were taken far too soon. They didn’t choose the reality they were born into. They didn’t choose what happened to them. But we do get to choose how we respond.” said Michael Kransdorff, chairman of JNF SA. 

Aharon Zulberg, rabbi of The Base, urged pupils to see this moment as one of renewal and responsibility. 

“Over the past two years there’s been so much sadness, so much tragedy,” he said. 

“But we can now appreciate that we can move forward in the way that we want to. We have the ability to move forward with strength, positivity, courage, goodness, and kindness. Help us ensure that Ariel and Kfir’s memory is carried forward – not through fear and sadness, but through kindness, leadership, and responsibility. Let us connect to one another in a meaningful way.” 

The challenge encourages young people to channel their emotions into constructive action, to teach, help, inspire, and build community. 

“You don’t need project management experience. You don’t need to be a TikTok celebrity. You just need an idea, and the willingness to care,” Kransdorff said. 

By empowering teenagers to create projects that improve their communities, the Bibas Children Youth Impact Challenge hopes to turn remembrance into something lasting: a generation of young people who respond to tragedy not with despair, but with courage, kindness, and leadership. 

Sign up at jnml.io/bibas