Nehama Leventstein of Sha'alvim describes how a family tragedy, and her faith, helped give rise to the Israeli aid organization Kav LaChaim. She and her late husband, Tuvia, raised nine children and later adopted two more. One of their adopted children is now a grandfather himself, with biological great-grandchildren, a sign of how large and multigenerational the family has become.
The turning point came when their third daughter among seven girls, Bruria, was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 8. Her treatment at the time was only possible in the United States and included a complex brain surgery, then difficult chemotherapy and radiation. Tuvia took the little girl to America for the operation while Nehama stayed in Israel with seven children, including a newborn baby. She later traveled to the United States to remain at Bruria’s side. Neighbors, friends, and the wider community helped care for the children and the baby at home.
While in the United States, the Levinsteins encountered the American group Chai Lifeline, which supported Jewish families with kosher food, housing, emotional help, and financial assistance at hospitals including New York University Hospital. The family needed about $100,000 for Bruria’s treatment, sold their apartment, and relied on donations. Tuvia’s contact with Chai Lifeline’s director led to the creation of Kav LaChaim in Israel, with the goal of sparing other families the same financial and emotional ordeal.
Bruria recovered from cancer by age 16, returned to regular school, married, and lived until age 43. At 24, she was found to have severe epilepsy caused by the radiation, and she later lost the ability to walk, used a wheelchair, and was dependent on care for nearly 20 years, from age 25 until her death about a year ago. Nehama says she never considered moving Bruria out of the house, where she was supported by her siblings and the whole family. She adds that Tuvia devoted himself to Bruria, though the strain contributed to his own emotional collapse and diabetes.
Even before his illness, Tuvia had turned Kav LaChaim into a large charity with thousands of branches in Israel’s south, north, and center. Nehama recalls thousands of teenagers aged 16 to 18 who came every summer to volunteer, giving families a 10-day break. Many couples met through the organization, including the Levinsteins’ daughter Batia and her husband, who now have seven children. After Tuvia’s death, Nehama continued in public service as the house mother for the Ne'aleh project at Sha'alvim Yeshiva, which brings high-school-age students from 26 countries to Israel. Her message to women is that, as she puts it, “the heart of the Jewish people is much bigger than the troubles,” and that acts of kindness, done with love and joy, can help a person get through life.
