The Philly Friends of the Paper Clips Project welcome students from Whitwell, Tennessee for a meaningful community Shabbat weekend, March 13–15, 2026.

Throughout the weekend, our community will have the opportunity to learn, reflect, and connect with these students through a series of Shabbat experiences hosted across three congregations. Congregation Beth Am Israel will host Friday night services and dinner, Har Zion Temple will host a Saturday morning learner’s service and lunch, and Temple Adath Israel will host Saturday evening dinner and Havdalah, followed by a fun night out at Arnold’s Family Fun Center.

The Paper Clips Project began at Whitwell Middle School when students studying the Holocaust set out to collect one paper clip for each of the six million Jews murdered. What started as a classroom assignment grew into an international movement, eventually collecting more than 30 million paper clips and becoming a powerful symbol of remembrance, empathy, and the impact young people can make.