Thanks to the efforts of 13-year-old Pamela Leo and the generosity of its members, the Manetto Hill Jewish Center was able to send much-needed clothing and toys to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Leo spearheaded this undertaking as her "Mitzvah" project in conjunction with her Bat Mitzvah. When asked what motivated her to commit to this project, Leo stated, "I was watching the coverage of Hurricane Katrina on television, saw all of the destruction and realized that I needed to do something to aid the victims of the hurricane. We all have to help others who are less fortunate." In addition to collecting the clothing and toys, Leo donated some of her own money to defray some of the cost of the shipping of those items.

The clothing and toys were sent to Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation in Metairie, LA, where they were then distributed. In its letter thanking those who donated these articles, Shir Chadash wrote, "While the enormity of the tragedy and its effect on all of south Louisiana cannot be overstated, the silver lining to this cloud has been the generosity of the American people. We are extremely grateful to our friends in Plainview who have helped us in rebuilding our synagogue."

Mitzvah is the Hebrew word for good deed. Manetto Hill Jewish Center, an egalitarian conservative synagogue in Plainview, encourages all those who are having a Bar or Bat Mitzvah to undertake a mitzvah project by donating their time or money to a charitable cause. It is by doing a good deed that one can truly experience what it means to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.