On Sunday, March 30, members of the USY community gathered virtually from all over the world to celebrate the life’s work of Rabbi Sam Kieffer, Melinda (Malka) Kieffer, and Danny Siegel.
This new virtual USY Alumni event, called Lev el Lev, was created to honor our remarkable alumni who have made an incredible impact on their communities through tikkun olam (service), tzedakah (philanthropy), and community leadership.
For the Kieffers, USY empowered them to lead impactful Jewish lives as an educator and a rabbi in several communities in the United States. Their call to mitzvot led them to Israel. Since October 7, 2023, the Kieffers have worked tirelessly on their fundraising initiative, Instant Projects, helping to better the lives of those in Israel. Some of their life-changing projects include gathering children’s winter pajamas for evacuated families, providing essential gear for the IDF, offering therapeutic horseback riding lessons to orphans from Kfar Aza, bringing Hanukkah donuts to soldiers, border police and firefighters, providing weekly IDF barbeques and much more.
Rabbi Sam Kieffer was the USY chapter President of Westbury Hebrew Congregation, Old Westbury (Long Island), NY; Echud President of the METNY Region; and International Vice President in 1968. He served as chapter advisor at Midway Jewish Center and Rego Park Jewish Center, both in Queens, NY. Rabbi Kieffer staffed USY summer programs from 1969-1977.
Melinda Kieffer was chapter President of Mikdosh El Hagro Hebrew Center (Evanston, IL) and served on the CHUSY (Chicago) regional board. She has been a chapter advisor at Beth Shalom (Northbrook, IL), Beth El (Highland Park, IL), Kew Gardens Hills Jewish Center (Queens, NY), and Temple Beth Torah (Oceans, NJ). Melinda Kieffer was a USY International and summer programs staffer from 1974-1977.
Danny Siegel has long been devoted to the sacred work of tzedakah and tikkun olam. In his video interview, colleague Rabbi Jim Lebeau noted, “There’s no doubt that Danny Siegel is the world’s authority on the Jewish view of tzedakah, of righteousness, of tikkun olam. He also had the remarkable ability to find ‘mitzvah heroes,’ as he called them—people around the world who helped others.”
Siegel was the USY International President in 1961-62 and concurrently served as the Seaboard Region President. In 1976, he began a 44-season journey of serving as the Mitzvah/Tzedekah scholar-in-residence for Israel Pilgrimage (now known as Yuval Yisrael) visiting Israel. His work with USY Israel Pilgrimage and the Book Mobile continue to impact USYers of today.
In addition to heartfelt speeches and moving video tributes, attendees were treated to a d’var Torah from Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO of USCJ and the Rabbinical Assembly, and updates on USY’s evolution from International Communications Vice President Gabby Levine and Senior Director of USY Julie Marder. The program concluded with a beautiful surprise musical performance by renowned musician Craig Taubman.
All funds raised for this event support USY. If you would like to make a donation to USY, please click here.
We invite you to watch the recording of Lev el Lev to celebrate our honorees and learn more about the exciting future of USY.
Do you know a USY alum who has made an impact through tikkun olam (service), tzedakah (philanthropy), and community leadership? Let us know! Please email Brad Sugar, USCJ’s Chief Development Officer, at [email protected].
