Twelve-year-old Jaden Elkins has followed a vegan diet for the past seven years and been a vegetarian his entire life. He has inspired many friends to eat more plant-based foods and to at least think about how their food got to their plate.
Jaden’s dream is to eliminate all animal suffering while simultaneously reducing the footprint for carbon dioxide omissions — a goal that can be achieved through a healthier vegetarian diet.
Jaden has been actively involved in numerous Vegan animal rights festivals and has given animal rights speeches while participating in demonstrations that showcase the lives of animals.
He hopes to inspire other children in his community to realize they too can make a difference by speaking up on behalf of all the animals who unfortunately can’t defend themselves.
Jaden’s favorite quote is from noted physicist Albert Einstein who once wrote, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet!”
This March 15, Jaden will have his Bar Mitzvah. The celebration will be 100 percent vegan and his private party at the famous 100 percent plant-based Veggie Grill in Westwood.
This event was made possible thanks to VP of Operations Scott Nicholson, Regional Operator David Bunting and manager at Westwood Veggie Grill, Anthony Blansett.
Many of the guests invited to the Bar Mitzvah will be trying a vegan Veggie Grill meal for the first time. Jaden, and his vegan family of six, chose his favorite Vegan food restaurant where his mom is a “brand ambassador.”
The Veggie Grill chain has become one of California’s most popular casual restaurants for vegan and non vegans alike.
By having a casual Bar Mitzvah with invitations sent on evite to save paper, Jaden is also illustrating as University Synagogues’ Rabbi Feinstens poetically states “Our community must lower the bar in Bar Mitzvah and focus not on the extravagance of the party but on the true celebration of becoming a man or woman.”
Jaden’s Bar Mitzvah theme is “Animal Kindness.” By having a Vegan Bar Mitzvah and inspiring others to eat a plant based diet Jaden will be potentially saving thousands of animal’s lives.
Jaden is an active tweeter on Twitter and he can inspire you by following “The Real Vegan Kid.”
Jaden hopes to inspire others to have a Vegan Bar Mitzvah and celebrate becoming a man while doing a mitzvah showcasing that all animals (birds, fish, and cows, etc.) and not only our beloved pets are worth saving.
“We are all interconnected and every animal has a mom and dad just like me and you,” Jaden said.
Jaden said he wanted to ask people to take a first step by thinking about more plant based foods and trying them and then slowly reducing the amount of animal suffering, since it takes time for most people to make the paradigm shift.
Every guest will leave with a voucher in hand inspiring them to return to Veggie Grill and try an entree of their choice, thanks to operations Manager Therese Stover.
