Friendship Circle: A Win-Win for Jenna and Jamaly

The Charlotte Jewish News August 2022

By Jenna Levin

I started working with Friendship Circle in sixth grade as part of my mitzvah project for my Bat Mitzvah, and I fell in love with the joy that I felt when working with children and teens with special needs. In my sophomore year of high school, I found Friendship Circle again and joined through the Friends on Call Program. It means a great deal to me to share my time and have fun with someone with experiences different from mine. Friendship Circle has allowed me to form a long-term bond with Jamaly, my friend of about two years, whom I met through this program.

Jamaly and I meet weekly through Zoom, where we connect, talk about our lives and things we have in common, and play games. Meeting with Jamaly reminds me that being friends with people different from me is important and beneficial to everyone involved . The first time I met Jamaly, I could tell we were going to be friends, and over the past years, we have developed a special bond. We have found that we like the same games, TV shows, movies, and colors. Jamaly is extremely thoughtful, and we even send each other gifts for birthdays and other occasions, which brings me so much happiness. Jamaly makes me laugh and smile every time I see her, and I hope I do the same for her. The coronavirus pandemic made it difficult for us when we became closer and both wanted to meet in person, but eventually we made it work and since then have been able to meet in person several times.

Friendship Circle has had such an influence on my life and allowed me to form a friendship with an amazing person, which I might not have been able to do otherwise. Even though I leave for college in a few short months, Jamaly and I have made plans to keep in contact and, I hope, meet on Zoom while I am away. Through Friendship Circle, I have made a friend in Jamaly and believe we will be lifelong friends even as we grow and change.

Photo Caption: Jenna and Jamaly celebrating a year of friendship