Rabbi Levi Shemtov
exceeds his goals and sets
new ones for the Daniel Sobel
Friendship Circle.

JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR Special to The Jewish News

S

ophisticated, knowing, aware.
According to
Webster's
New World Dictionary, those
words make up the definition
of the slang version of the word "hip."
They are also words that easily
could describe Levi Shemtov, a 27-
year-old Lubavitch rabbi.
Bui: hip? That might be a stretch.
The man can't tell you what an X-
file is or name the friends on Friends,
but he is sophisticated, knowing and
aware of the needs of troubled youth
and hip to the concerns of the families
of developmentally disabled children.
As director of the Daniel Sobel
Friendship Circle, Levi, with his wife,
Bassie, has overseen the development
and growth of a burgeoning organiza-
tion that brings counseling to troubled
youth and help to the families of
developmentally disabled children.
Born in the Crown Heights neigh-

4/17
t 998

BO

borhood of Brooklyn, Levi, the
youngest of five children, was raised in
the Orthodox Lubavitch tradition.
After his marriage, he looked to incor-
porate the tradition into his lifestyle
by working within the Lubavitch
world.
"I wanted to help people," he said.
"I have always been good at that: get-
ting into people and finding what they
need and finding a way to help them."
The Detroit Lubavitch community
offered him a part-time job to counsel
youngsters. Although some said it
would be a dead-end counseling job
requiring hours of desk work, Levi saw
more; in particular, he saw a way to
use his dream and hard work to form
an organization that helps people.
Knowing almost no one in town,
the Shemtovs immediately got to work
cold-calling. The work was hard, tir-
ing and sometimes discouraging, but

they never gave up.
the dream person. He dreams about
"Pretty soon, more people heard of
things and then makes them hap-
us and more people wanted to help
pen."
us," he said. "That is pretty grat-
Levi often rises at 4:30 in
ifying."
Rab bi Levi the morning in order to make
The circle expanded to
Sh emtov:
it to his West Bloomfield
Dri ven by
include a volunteer group for
office by 5. He works for two
b elief:
girls. Begun as a tutoring pro-
hours and returns home to get
gram to help children with
his three children — 2-year-
learning, volunteers soon began caring
old Mushkie, 1-year-old Mendel and
for developmentally disabled children
6-week-old Chana — ready for their
so as to give their parents a much-
day. He then returns to work at about
needed break. Now, 150 girls volun-
9:30 and stays until 6:30 p.m. After a
teer regularly, both in clients' homes
quick dinner, the Shemtovs begin
and in a drop-off program every other
working the phones (they have two
Sunday.
lines for their home), arranging sched7 ,
Having reached his goals, the
ules of volunteers.
young rabbi has set new ones. He
James Moray, a friend and former
hopes the Detroit model of the friend-
recipient of the rabbi's caring, says,
ship circle will be picked up in other
"He is driven by the belief that if you
cities, and he wants to further develop
just care enough to love and help
the boys volunteer corps.
someone, the world could be a better
Bassie says her "husband is always
place." ❑

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