Unraveling the Machzor Mystery

Home / News & Events / Newsletter

Unraveling the Machzor Mystery

Nov 30, 2021

When Los Angeles Jewish Home resident Barbara Young Leff attended a Shabbat service at the Home this fall, she could never have imagined it would connect her to her beloved family thousands of miles away. Yet, that is precisely what happened in a story that proves it is, indeed, a small world after all.

As she arrived at services that Friday night, Barbara was provided a machzor (prayer book) and opened it to follow along with the liturgy. What she found on the inside cover was astonishing: a dedication from her first cousins Fred and Judi Young of Yardley, Pennsylvania, a town located on the Delaware River about 30 miles outside of Philadelphia.

She immediately told her son, Steve Leff, and his wife, Cheryl. "When she told us about the label in the prayer book, we couldn't believe it," recalls Barbara's son, Steve Leff. "I thought, ‘Well, that's a coincidence; it must be another Fred and Judi."

But Barbara was insistent, pointing out that the dedication also mentioned Congregation Brothers of Israel—Fred and Judi Young's synagogue. As Steve's wife Cheryl noted, that greatly diminished the possibility it was a different couple with the same name. "To get to the bottom of it, we reached out to Fred and Judi to investigate," she says.

Barbara's and Fred's fathers were brothers, and though Barbara's family had moved from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles in the 1940s, the Leffs and the Youngs remained close, traveling back and forth for family visits and celebrations. Cheryl and Steve were still in touch with their cross-country cousins and quickly emailed them about Barbara's find.

What they learned was that the Youngs had a history of dedicating prayer books as a way of supporting their synagogue. "We've belonged to our shul for 35 years; I'm a past president, and Judi served as president of the temple sisterhood for nearly a decade," Fred says. "Every few years, congregants are asked to donate to fund the purchase of new machzorim. So, we'd definitely done what Barbara said—but we had no idea how the books would have made it all the way out to California."

Solving the rest of the "machzor mystery" would be the job of the Jewish Home's rabbi and chief mission officer, Karen Bender. Cheryl contacted her and laid out the facts of the still-incomplete story—and Rabbi Bender was ready with the missing piece.

When new editions of prayer books are released, synagogues may decide to update their supply. Some then offer their old books to other synagogues, nursing homes and places in need. Such was the case with Congregation Brothers of Israel, which had placed an ad that was subsequently seen by the Jewish Home's Rabbi Ron Goldberg. He brought it to Rabbi Bender's attention, who was delighted with the prospect of acquiring new machzorim for the Home.

"Their synagogue was giving away exactly the machzorim we needed, and they were in excellent condition. In fact, they were actually an update for us, which was fantastic," Rabbi Bender says. "The books were free; we just had to pay the price of shipping the freight here to LA."

"What are the odds that, of all the prayerbooks in the world, my cousin Barbara in California would end up with one that we had dedicated, across the country, years before?" Fred asks. "I said to Judi, ‘We should go out and buy a bunch of lottery tickets right now!'"

As unlikely as the story was, Steve says it was, in some ways, fitting. "My mom, who has a master's degree in library science from USC, was the creator and first director of the Stephen S. Wise Temple library. Books—particularly Judaic books—have always been a huge part of her life," he says. "It seems appropriate that this small-world story would revolve around the dedication in a Jewish book!"

Fred concurs. "When I first heard about it, I assumed Barbara had opened the cover to see if the book was overdue—like a librarian's instinct!" he laughs.

Not long after Barbara's initial discovery, Rabbi Bender presented a copy of the machzor to Barbara to keep as her own. Barbara's pleasure was evident, and she beamed from ear to ear.

"Last time we saw her, she was carrying the book around and explaining the whole story to her doctor," Cheryl says. "She was thrilled by it all and will readily share the tale with anyone who will listen!"

Prev Page Next Page

Share

Sign up for the Los Angeles Jewish Health newsletter, Connections.

First Name

Last Name

Email

Recent Articles

Feb 11

Major Changes in the Tax Law This Year: What It Means for You, Your Taxes, and Your Legacy

Los Angeles Jewish Health Pays Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and Reflects on His Powerful Legacy

A shared focus on the pursuit of justice made the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his contemporaries in the American Jewish community natural allies. This past January, Los Angeles Jewish Health honored their historic collaboration with a special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event that brought together a diverse audience to celebrate Dr. King and help carry his legacy forward.Overseen by Rabbi Karen Bender, LAJH’s chief mission officer, the gathering featured timeless music blending Jewish songs and themes with gospel sounds rooted in the African American tradition. The program was led by Hazan Mike Stein, who served as cantor of Temple Aliyah—now HaMakom—in West Hills for more than two decades and included contributions from Cantor Jenni Asher, HaMakom’s current cantor; Broadway actress Deborah Sharpe-Taylor; singer Fumani Thomas-Schwartz; pianist David Cohen; and numerous others.“Our goal was to present a fusion of music and ideas about the melding of the two cultures, Jewish and African American,” Stein says. “We sang a song I wrote with Deborah called ‘Shalom, Shalom’; ‘Wade in the Water,’ a traditional African American spiritual that was combined with ‘Mi Chamocha’; ‘We Shall Overcome’; and ‘When the Rain Comes Down,’ which speaks to the universal struggles we all go through, no matter our faith or background. Rabbi Bender also offered a beautiful d’var Torah.”The group performs music which blends songs and themes with gospel sounds rooted in the African American tradition. Rabbi Bender’s words of wisdom helped ground the emotionally uplifting musical tribute, emphasizing how the values of Dr. King align completely with Jewish values.“Our resident community at LAJH intuits the profundity of a message that relates to the principles of justice, equality, and loving-kindness,” she said.A highlight of the event was Sharpe-Taylor’s performance as Harriet Tubman. She offered a first-person portrayal of the iconoclastic activist and brought to life her role in the Underground Railroad.“The residents loved Deborah’s reenactment. She tried to embody Harriet, talking about her life, missing her husband, and bringing people to freedom,” Asher says. “When she was finished, Rabbi Bender got up and said, ‘I almost feel as if I met Harriet Tubman today!’”During the program, Asher, the first Black female cantor to be ordained in the United States, offered insights into her own experience as a Jew of color.“It’s amazing to be visible: I have people come up to me all the time to say they’ve never seen a Black or even a female cantor,” she says. “But Jews and Judaism have moved so far in terms of diversity, and I think it’s impactful for seniors to witness this evolution for themselves. The residents of Los Angeles Jewish Health were so warm and happy to see me, which was wonderful.”Also on hand for the event were William “Mickey” Stevenson and his wife, Michelle. Mickey, a legendary producer at Motown Records and one of the principal architects of the “Motown Sound,” talked about the outstanding partnership at the label between Black artists and its executives, some of whom were Jewish.Cantor Stein says the program was particularly resonant for many of the LAJH residents in the audience.“A lot of the seniors remember the ‘60s and were politically active, some of them playing important roles in advancing civil rights in their local communities,” he says. “In fact, my wife, Kelley, an LAJH resident, was actually at the “I Have a Dream” speech march! When Rabbi Bender talked about how Black and Jewish people are connected by traditions that encompass both being slaves and being free, you could see people nodding along. It’s a powerful link that gives us all common ground to stand up for what’s right.”Cantor Jenni Asher Deborah Sharpe-Taylor as Harriet TubmanWilliam “Mickey” Stevenson

Embracing Life at Los Angeles Jewish Health Without Missing a Beat

Los Angeles Jewish Health rehabilitation patient Thomas Flynn has led a life full of success and accomplishment. But his most recent achievement may well be his greatest yet: surviving and thriving nearly one year after a high-stakes heart transplant.Tom’s health had been on a steady downward trajectory as doctors tried everything possible to address his ventricular tachycardia, a heart rhythm disorder that disrupted the electrical signals necessary for smooth cardiac functioning. After years of treatment and despite utilizing the latest in state-of-the-art medical advances (including surgical ablations and the placement of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator), doctors told him he had reached the end of the road.“I was basically out of options except for a transplant, and at 73 I was older than usual for that kind of procedure,” Tom says. “But I knew I wouldn’t be able to survive long term without it—I had been in the hospital 266 out of 365 days that year, which gives you an indication of how dire my circumstances were.”But Tom was otherwise healthy, without any comorbidities, and his doctors at Cedars-Sinai put him on the transplant list. Their decision saved his life.“It was a long shot, but they took a chance on me. I was the oldest person at Cedars-Sinai to get a transplant last year, and through what feels like a series of miracles, here I am today having turned 74,” Tom says.Those miracles include his medical team at Cedars-Sinai, a donor heart that matched his profile (“I think of that person every single day”), and the rehabilitation care he is receiving at LAJH.“I’ve been in JEK [the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center] for the past six months, and when I first got here, I was hooked up to so many machines that I couldn’t even leave my room for three months,” Tom recalls. “But the team at LAJH is amazing, from the doctors to the senior nursing staff, all the way to the certified nursing assistants. Now, I’m up and walking around, doing things I never thought I’d have the chance to do again!”Thomas FlynnBesides receiving rigorous occupational and physical therapy, Tom is an active member of the resident community.“The therapeutic activities here are incredible. The staff does so much to make sure our neural networks are firing and cognitive synapses are working—hosting discussion groups and learning activities that have residents reaching deep. It’s so gratifying,” he says.The intellectual stimulation has been critically important to Tom, who spent his career in both government and industry working on big ideas to strengthen the fabric of American society.After graduating from Columbia University and Santa Clara University School of Law, he joined the administration of Governor Jerry Brown in Sacramento, where he worked to open California up to international investment and supported the development of Silicon Valley. From there, he pivoted to the private sector, helping bring the first generation of electricity-generating windmills to Palm Springs and facilitating the acquisition of agricultural technology from Israel. Tom’s multifaceted career also included stints as chief executive officer of one of the nation’s premier public opinion and social research firms—where he managed Times/CNN polling for the 1992 and 1996 presidential election cycles—and time as a government consultant collaborating on impactful studies for the Department of Defense and other agencies.He and his wife, Cari Beauchamp, a prominent writer and journalist, split their time between Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York, making their marks professionally while also raising their two sons, Jake and Teo. Cari passed away from cancer in 2023.At LAJH, in addition to recovering his physical stamina and sharpening his mental acuity, Tom has fostered new friendships with other JEK residents.“People are so smart and have such fascinating life stories. All of us are here because of medical infirmities, but we still have so much to offer in terms of our various skills and talents,” he says. “The entire LAJH community keeps me active and stimulated, and I’m so grateful every single day.”