Boy Who Donated Bar Mitzvah Money to Ailing Classmate Gets a 'Big' Surprise from Ellen – Kveller
Skip to Content Skip to Footer

bar/bat mitzvahs

Boy Who Donated Bar Mitzvah Money to Ailing Classmate Gets a ‘Big’ Surprise from Ellen

Looks like the spot of Mensch of the Year might already be taken by one very thoughtful 13-year-old. Jesse Kaufman received a lot of money for his bar mitzvah, but instead of squirreling it away or spending it on himself, he decided to do something even better: donate it to his classmate Jasmine Boden, who is battling a rare brain tumor. He also made a commitment to continue fundraising in order to help fund travel expenses associated with her treatment.

When Ellen DeGeneres caught wind of this, she invited Kaufman and Boden onto the show, where she surprised them with a $10,000 donation. But wait, there’s more. Kaufman is a fan of Big Bang Theory (and of Mayim!), so Ellen invited Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper) to present both of them with BBT swag and invite them to view a run-through of the show and meet the cast. Adorable!

Watch a clip of the heartwarming moment below:

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

Skip to Banner / Top Skip to Content