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The Windmill
Custam (lathier
had joined our table with stories of
how he managed to wrangle out of a
state politician the first government
grant for the financially troubled
met with Jerry Levin on a Mon-
Orchards children's home. He had
day morning, his last day in
been promoted to director when his
erusalem.
predecessor became discouraged and
We sat on the patio of a small
left. Jerry was then a young psycholo-
cafe with a view of Mt. Zion and
gist who was left to pacify the staff
Yemin Moshe. The warm Jerusalem
and look after the children.
sun illuminated the enchanting view.
Following my wonderful summer at
Jerry, in shorts and a T-shirt, steal-
Tamarack, I decided to follow in Jerry's
ing an hour away from the Michigan
footsteps and set up a program similar
Miracle Mission III with whom he
to the Orchards in Israel. Over the
came to Israel, sits in the sun, drink-
years, we met often and as I would
ing cappuccino, telling stories, filling
describe my situa-
the air with his laughter.
tion and problems,
My relationhip with Jerry
he
would advise.
began in the early 1970s. I was
As
Jerry spoke, I
a recently released IDF soldier,
would listen and
young and confused. I was sent
greedily absorb
into the big world as a Jewish
every word, know-
Agency emissary, to be a camp.
ing full well that
counselor at Camp Tamarack in
whatever he shared
Brighton.
with me about his
I was to work with the spe-
work and experi-
cial-needs children spending the
ence I would be
summer at camp with other
able to use at Orr
youngsters their age. These chil-
Shalom in the
dren, with major emotional and
Jerry Levin
future. I was work-
behavioral problems, were
ing with Israeli chil-
looked after by the staff of
dren-at-risk who
Orchards residential treatment homes.
could not live with their parents
The staff seemed no less crazy than
because of abuse or neglect.
their wards. They consisted of flower
Jerry had an uncanny sense of
children, idealists, dreamers, reform-
knowing
where resources would be
ers, all struggling to help those chil-
going, how to convince the authorities
dren to regain their lost childhood.
to provide more, how it is possible in
Overseeing the whole scenario was
a materialistic, competitive society to
one man — Jerry Levin — quiet and
develop a successful program that
wise, knowledgeable and confident.
helps the weak and disenfranchised.
Jerry was the one who taught me
"And what is that?" asks Jerry sud-
more than any of my teachers that
denly on that glorious, Monday
psychology is a profession that takes
morning only a week ago. He pointed
people, their distress and their pain,
to the windmill in the middle of the
and tries to turn them into logic, into
Yemin Moshe neighborhood just
a system, into optimism and hope.
opposite the cafe.
But he was totally human.
"That's an old flour mill," I answer,
I remember how tears welled up in
"built by Sir Moshe Montefiore. The
his eyes when I would tell him about
Jews living in the Old City at the end
a battered child or when I would con-
of the last century asked to begin set-
sult with him about a girl who had
tling neighborhoods outside the walls
been abused.
because of overcrowding. Sir Monte-
Sitting there in the Jerusalem sun,
fiore, an English aristocrat and great
opposite the Old City walls, Jerry
philanthropist, built them a flour mill.
regaled me and two journalists who
That way, the Jews would not only
live outside the city but have an
Chaim Feingold spent eight summers
opportunity to support themselves.
as a counselor, supervisor and program
"The Montefiore mill long ago
director at Camp Tamarack in Brighton.
stopped being a source of income for
He is a clinical psychologist in Jerusalem
the residents of Yemin Moshe neigh-
and director of On Shalom Children's
borhood. This neighborhood was on
Homes, a non-profit organization pro-
the border with Jordan up until 1967
viding loving homes for Israeli children-
and has since become a very presti-
,,
at-risk. This tribute to Jerry Levin was
gious and affluent area.
translated from Hebrew by Idele Ross.
I continue: "Even though it is no
'CHAIM FEINGOLD
Special to the Jewish News
longer used to grind wheat, the wind-
mill has become one of Jerusalem's
most beautiful symbols and popular
attractions."
Jerry smiled at me. "You are a
windmill," he says after I finished the
story. "The winds continuously shift,
but the mill remains in place, doing
what has to be done.
"No," I disagree. "It is you." We
argue briefly. He went on, "Winds of
change blow; fashions come and go;
theories are proposed and quickly
debunked by others; governments are
elected and rejected; but we, the wind-
mills continue our work, turning and
doing what we know needs to be done
on behalf of children in distress."
Those were Jerry's last words to me
before traveling to Petra, in Jordan,
from where he wouldn't return.
Windmills continue to turn and so
will we, Jerry. We will continue to do
and to try everything you have taught
us, to worry about every suffering
child as if he or she were our own, to
feel every injustice and pain, to shed a
tear and continue to innovate and ini-
tiate, always with a smile, creatively
and reliably.
Shalom, chaver. Goodbye, my
friend. Fl
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1999