Baltimore, MD - Dec. 14, 2018 - By now, I am sure everyone has heard about the fire that has devastated the Lev Shlomo building.  Speaking with people in the Lev community, it is obvious that while no one was physically hurt, there is a world of pain that they are going through. Many people have been shaken up by this fire.  It made me think about Lev and what it has meant to me, and my family. 

I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I am one of the people who belong to the Lev community. Lev is the place where my wife and I enjoy going for a warm Friday night davening. It changes how our entire Shabbos, no, our entire week goes. The warmth in the room is infectious. People are so genuinely happy to see each other, that it draws you into its beauty. Men, women and kids, of all backgrounds, coming together to celebrate the coming of Shabbos. There is more back slapping and hugs that go on there, than in a winning locker room. I know that we are far from the only ones who think this way.

But Lev is much more than that to us. Lev is where our son Ari has found a home. It’s the place he has lived since he came back from Israel. Lev, run through two giants of men, R’ Aryeh Zigdon, and R’ Shaya Kohn, is not just a place for enrolled students. You see, Ari was never officially enrolled at Lev. But that didn’t stop Aryeh and Shaya from taking him under their wing. Shabbos meals, heart to heart talks, job placement assistance, summer work, etc. You name it, and they were there for him. Last year, Aryeh and Shaya flew to Israel with Ari, taking time away from their own families, just to find a possible program for Ari.

They didn’t ask to be paid, they didn’t ask for a donation to Lev- they just saw an opportunity for one of the Lev guys, and they dropped everything to try and make it happen. We are far from the 1%, but that was no factor. They do this for every person who passes through Lev. Lev is not just about the boys currently enrolled there, it’s for every boy who has passed through the building. If you touch the doorknob of Lev, you are member of the Lev family.

There is no downtime at Lev. Meetings can take place as easily at 11 PM as they do at 11 AM. Lev is changing lives. Even though Ari is moving out at the end of the year, Aryeh and Shaya are still planning on keeping him in their lives. That is what they do. It’s not a job to them, it’s life.

Why am I writing now? While there are a core of supporters that help Lev, I am afraid that Lev has not been thought of as a go-to tzedakah, like many of the other fine institutions and causes in our community. The entire city has a responsibility to help an organization like Lev...now, more than ever.

Lev will rebuild, and continue to be there for all the people in our community. Let’s take this time now to show Lev that we are there for it.