24 | APRIL 21 • 2022 

OUR COMMUNITY

M

arch not only marked JARC’s 
annual month-long celebration 
of National Developmental 
Disabilities Month, but for Jeff Leventhal, 
a JARC person served, it marked his 50th 
birthday. 
Leventhal has been an active part of the 
JARC community for nearly 30 years. In 
that time, he’s made friends with many 
other persons served, developed strong 
relationships with staff, enjoyed opportu-
nities to get outside of JARC and into the 
larger community, and gained life skills at 
his work at the Judson Center and Kroger. 
 
 While many of his daily activities have 
changed since the start of the pandemic, 
his friendly, helpful nature has remained 
the same. Leventhal has a reputation of 
being quick to pitch in around the JARC 
house with chores like folding laundry, 
putting away groceries, bringing in the 

newspaper, and his favorite, loading and 
emptying the dishwasher. The JARC staff 
are grateful for Leventhal’s help and how 
his positive attitude has impacted the 
other men living at the same JARC home. 
“His outgoing and infectious personali-
ty brightens up our community so much, 
and it’s just one thing that makes him a 
really good fit for us,” said Jenny Kabert, 
JARC’s director of philanthropy, 
Miriam Leventhal, Jeff’s mother, knows 
that to be true more than anyone.
“People often tell me he has a great 
smile, and they feel happy when they’re 
with him,” she said. “
And I have to say, 
that’s true for me as well. There’s just 
something infectious about him when 
you meet him or as you get to know him.”
For Leventhal’s 50th birthday, Miriam 
organized a small but thoughtful family 
celebration, creating a video montage for 
him where family members and friends 
were invited to send in a video clip with 
birthday wishes. 
“We had a video of about 25 clips, 
and we presented that to him,” she said. 
“
Almost every time he’s been home since, 
he’s asked to watch it. That made the 
birthday special.” 
Miriam says JARC has been terrif-
ic during the last two years in keeping 
everyone safe and providing virtual activ-
ities which Jeff really enjoys. 
“They’ve provided a lot of stability,” 
Miriam said. “Even with the difficulties 
of COVID and the greater isolation it’s 
imposed on all of us, (Jeff’s) just had real-
ly good support.”

A SPECIAL FRIEND
An important aspect of Leventhal’s life 

has been his connection with Marc 
Soble, now president of Congregation 
Beth Ahm, through JARC’s Making 
Community Connections program. 
For nearly 10 years prior to COVID-
19, Soble picked Leventhal up almost 
every Saturday and took him to Shabbat 
services, becoming great friends in the 
process.
“We would meet up at (Jeff’s) house 
right behind the synagogue and if the 
weather wasn’t good, we would drive, but 
as spring and summer came, we would 
actually walk, and that was a really nice 
part of the relationship,” Soble said. “He 
loves to chat and catch up and that gave 
us an opportunity to talk about things.” 
In addition to going to services, Soble 
and Leventhal have been honored with 
aliyot, opened the arc and attended dif-
ferent shul activities and holiday celebra-
tions together. 
“One thing I’ve always liked about him, 
in terms of services, if there was a b’nai 
mitzvah, he would make a point after the 
service to go up to them and congratulate 
them,” Soble said. “It was really important 
to him. And it wasn’t something I talk-
ed to him about; he did it on his own. I 
always thought that was special.” 
During the pandemic, the two have 
regularly kept in touch on the phone 
and have taken walks together. Though 
COVID difficulties have mostly curtailed 
their trips to Shabbat services, the plan is 
to return to that soon.
“He cares about things and people, and 
he’s always upbeat and positive, and I 
think that’s the most special thing (about 
him),” Soble said. “It’s an important rela-
tionship and friendship to me.” 

JARC person served celebrates 
birthday with love from 
family and friends.

Happy 50th 
Birthday, Jeff!

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Jeff with his 
mother, Miriam.

Jeff Leventhal 
with Marc Soble 

