Iran’s Attack on Israel
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These four incredible women — Sarah R’bibo, Dr. Deborah Axelrod, Miri Robin, and Galit Horowitz — are moving mountains.
Sarah R’bibo and her family
In 2017, Sarah R’bibo helped to create Maor, the only Jewish special needs school in Los Angeles. Sarah’s youngest daughter, Iva, was born in 2012. Early on, Sarah noticed developmental delays and began the search to access services for her daughter. When Sarah embarked on a journey to pave a path for her daughter she had no idea it would create one for hundreds to follow.
As Iva grew, Sarah and her husband were shocked to learn that there were no Jewish schools in the city for their daughter. Sarah searched for a viable option and was told, “There must be a Jewish school here in LA, you just did not look hard enough.” “Those kids get what they need in public school.”
Students at Maor
Seven years ago, Sarah met Chaya Chazanow, another mother who was dealing with similar issues. They started a Whatsapp group that still exists today, boasting over 100 participants. “The chat helped us find others. We were determined to build a community to help everyone navigate this challenge.” This was the beginning of the vision for Maor.
“We got the advice to get a couple kids, a teacher, and just go. I thought, Okay, that’s doable.”
Maor Academy opened in 2017 with just Sarah and Chaya’s children. Today, Maor is home to 36 students and 20 staff members. “Maor is a school that thinks differently by focusing on our students’ strengths, not deficits. We do not put limits on what they can accomplish,” Sarah says.
Maor believes in individualized education, creating personalized learning plans for each student, addressing the entire child, all in a warm and loving Jewish environment that helps our students succeed.
Sarah explains, “People have a narrow view of what they think special needs means. Many assume it is only children with severe disabilities. But there are many neuro-diverse children who think and learn differently, and who struggle in traditional school settings. We teach them that thinking differently can lead to greatness. At Maor, we are breaking down this limited belief system and giving our students a new story of what they can accomplish and achieve in life.”
Sarah receives many calls from parents whose children are only three years old and have already been labeled as the “difficult” or “problem” child because of learning differences and behaviors.
“We had one mother who said that her five-year-old was already saying things like, ‘I’m not smart’ and ‘I hate being Jewish.’ This child had an amazing year at Maor. She flourished, and now loves school and Judaism.”
Sarah and Chaya are now leading an entire community of parents who desperately need them. “What I am most proud of is that we created a community space where students and families feel welcome and supported. We had the opportunity to be trailblazers and to create something that has far surpassed our expectations.”
Dr. Axelrod, who has studied under top surgeons and renowned doctors, has treated breast cancers in over 10,000 patients over 35 years.
“I was lucky because during the early days of general surgery there weren’t many students interested in breast cases so I got the surgeries and the office hour exposure. When I told the chief surgeon that I wanted to be a breast surgeon, he replied, ‘I didn't train you all these years just to be a breast surgeon.’”
Dr. Axelrod didn’t mind that it wasn't the popular choice. She was drawn to it and became the chief of surgery at Beth Israel Hospital, in 1988. But she didn’t always want to be an oncologist. She originally wanted to be a comedian. Although she felt she wasn’t funny enough to become one, she used her love of comedy to write a book with Rosie O'Donnell, who was a patient of hers.
Dr. Axelrod reached out to her about writing a book together. The result was Bosom Buddies: Lessons and Laughter on Breast Health and Cancer. All the proceeds from the book are donated to charity. Every last dollar has gone to deserving organizations and breast cancer research.
“The most rewarding aspect of my job is receiving feedback from my patients.
“When I turned 50 I decided to make a birthday book with entries from my patients. I asked them to send pictures and to share about their current life after cancer. I told them, ‘I’m not dying, but when I retire I want to look back at the book and show it to my grandkids. It was so astounding what people wrote, and so heartfelt to read their words. I have this book until today.”
Dr. Axelrod is confident that one day the medical community will win the war against breast cancer. “Make no mistake—it will go away. Finding the solution won’t be easy, but as physicians and researchers we must be persistent.”
Miri Robin began an organization called Love N Groceries, which assists widows and widowers in the Los Angeles Jewish community. It officially began in March 2020, but the seeds were planted 15 years ago when Miri and her mother helped feed a local widow anonymously.
Miri Robin and her family
In 2020 a group of six women convened in Miri’s backyard. The husband of a friend of theirs had passed away, and they wanted to do something to help. “Instead of just nodding and saying, ‘We should do something,’ we took initiative and created the organization.”
Each family has an ambassador who is aware of that family's specific needs. “This is not a generic organization that just randomly donates things to people. It takes into account what each person in each family really needs at that moment.”
In addition to addressing immediate food needs, the organization pays for medical and dental bills, rent, and mortgage shortages when needed. They also make sure to help celebrate birthdays and milestones, and make each holiday special for their recipients.
The goal of Love N Groceries is long-term support. When someone’s spouse dies, in the beginning everyone is there for them. But over time, people tend to forget and life goes on. Years down the line, when these widows and their orphans really need help, they often don’t have anyone to turn to. Love N Groceries is here to fill that gap.
Members of Love N Groceries team
“This organization is crucial because of the much-needed support it provides. Our promise is that we will support each other in a time of need.”
Miri explains, “Not only do we provide these widows and their families with basic needs, we provide these women, men, and their children with comforts other families and children have so they don’t feel the shame of appearing deprived.”
Love N Groceries also serves as the liaison for individuals to give anonymously to specific families. One man bought his own wife a piece of jewelry before the holidays. He donated the same amount to Love N Groceries in order to gift a widow jewelry, as well. This was the first piece of jewelry this woman received in six years, since her husband's passing. Today, she wears the piece with pride, never knowing who the donor was.
Love N Groceries asks members to donate $25 a week to help the widows in the community. “The goal is that everyone gets involved to do something collectively, on a weekly basis. There is power in numbers and these small donations add up to make a huge difference.
“When a lonely widow receives a gift at her door, that gift reminds her, ‘We love you and we are here for you.’ Together, our community fills a deep void. The widows know that the community is there right by their side, holding them and carrying their burden alongside them. That makes all the difference in the world.”
Galit Horowitz founded LevLA, an organization that provides a hospitality home for those undergoing medical treatment in Los Angeles. Galit and her husband, Shlomi Horowitz, have used their savings, and even taken out loans, in order to provide this space for those who cannot afford accommodations near the L.A.-area hospitals where they are receiving treatment.
What motivated them to do so?
The Horowitz Family
Galit’s personal story began ten years ago with her first husband, Noam Capri who, one month after Galit gave birth to twins, was diagnosed with heart failure and needed an immediate heart transplant. Galit lived in the Valley and she traveled back and forth from Cedars Sinai twice a day until his release. Afterwards, her husband was re-hospitalized after contracting West Nile Virus, and went into a coma.
Galit and her twins traveled back and forth, relying on the hospitality of her friends, and even sleeping at the hospital at times. She felt like a nomad, enduring this intense challenge for more than three years.
After Noam passed away, a vision was born. Galit and Shlomi are on a mission to host families of patients in surrounding hospitals, for free. They work tirelessly to give families, who fly in from around the world, a sense of comfort and home. They are provided with home-cooked meals, and their every need is anticipated and taken care of. Galit does not want anyone to go through what she went through. The Horowitz family doesn’t take any compensation for the incredible kindness they bestow, the epitome of true volunteering.
These four women took a moment of challenge and inspiration to transform the world around them. May their personal examples of everyday heroism inspire you to leave your mark on the world.
I would like to learn the mailing addresses for the above groups so that I may make a donation in support of their wonderful work. Thank you. Steven Finer stevenedwardfiner@yahoo.com
Heartiest mazeltov to all the organisations mentioned and the people involved.
How about providing contact information for each group?
Heart warning and wonderful
I especially enjoyed reading about the pioneering work of Sara R’ibo. I am a special education advocate/consultant, and would love to communicate with you. My name is Nancy Perkins. Feel free to email me: info@specialneedspro.net. Good Shabbos!
Wonderful!