Thirteen-year-old Daniel Dietz of Florence, Mass., writes:

Right after my Bar Mitzvah I joined the B’nai Tzedek Teen Philanthropy program, where we each choose our favorite cause to donate to, and we learn all about philanthropy and how to maximize our fundraising.

I wanted to raise money for the Smile Train, an organization that is dedicated to helping the millions of children in the world who are born with a cleft lip and palate by providing free surgery for children in over 60 countries, free training for doctors and research to find a cure. One hundred percent of all donations go toward the surgeries, and it only costs $250.00 to change a child’s life.

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I decided to raise money by performing eye-shocking yo-yo tricks. I perform at different street fairs, college sports games, restaurants, concerts and any place that will have me. I perform with a tip jar or get sponsors in advance. So far I have raised over $13,000 and want to continue to raise even more money because there are so many children waiting for surgeries.

Editor’s Note:

This post marks the return of the Forward’s Roto feature.

In 1923, the Forward launched a weekly photography supplement known as the Rotogravure. The feature took its name from a process for engraving images onto metal plates for printing. While other newspapers of the era had their own Rotogravure pages, the Forward’s “Roto” stands out as a visual record of the richness and diversity of the Jewish experience. It tackled themes ranging from a “Beauty and Charm Contest” to “Interesting Jewish Types from Africa and Palestine.” Readers from all corners of the globe mailed in their photos for publication.

The new Roto will create an online photographic record of the richness and diversity of today’s Jewish world. We invite our readers to send us their photos.

E-mail your photo to the Roto at bintelblog@forward.com along with a brief explanation of the image and its meaning.

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