Woodmere resident brings cheer to Holocaust survivors

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In the Five Towns Holocaust survivors, many of whom have been confined to their homes over the past year because of the coronavirus pandemic, could be enduring a toll on their mental health.

Leora Brandsdorfer, a Woodmere resident and Torah Academy for Girls student, asked her parents for help with her bat mitzvah chesed (kindness) project to hopefully bring much needed joy to dozens of survivors.

“It’s so refreshing to see young people get involved in chesed, these are lessons they will take for them for the rest of their lives,” said her father, Moshe Brandsdorfer, the executive director of the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula. Brandsdorfer and her family used her party as a packing event as summer care packages were packed filled with summer essentials like sun screen, sun glasses, hats, slippers, snacks and much more.

Rivka, a 93-year-old Holocaust survivor and one of the recipients of the care packages said: “This is really a special mitzvah, I was not expecting it. It was a surprise knock at my door, a young visitor with a big smile, really brightened up my day, thank you.”

For more information to bring a chesed project to your simcha (celebration) email bsatt@jccrp.org or call (718) 327-7755 ext. 6113.