T hey’d met at Yale back when they were both undergraduates. Levi — who was previously known as Larry —couldn’t get Zehava — previously known as Zoe — to go out with him because although she wasn’t exactly religious herself she was disgusted by the treifer-than-treif bacon-and-cheese sandwiches he’d eat for breakfast in the cafeteria.
Larry was willing to give up pork for the sake of a date with Zoe and she was overjoyed when he began to show an interest in Yiddishkeit. As their relationship progressed Larry became more excited about Judaism and even began learning Tanya with the local Chabad shaliach at their university. It wasn’t long before Larry’s enthusiasm influenced Zoe and by the time they were married the following year they became known as Levi and Zehava.
Levi pursued an MBA and became successful in corporate finance and Zehava became a nurse while they built a home on the foundations of kiruv and kiddush Hashem in their community. Their legendary Shabbos seudos featured delicious multicourse meals and inspiring zemiros and regularly attracted several dozen college kids from local campuses. Levi became a kiruv tornado having put tefillin on every last one of his Jewish colleagues in grad school and beyond while Zehava was known for passing out Shabbos candles to Jewish patients she met while doing rounds in the hospital.
I first encountered Zehava when she was struggling with sleep difficulties following the tragic death of a patient. Her nightmares were clearly a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder and she had been referred to me by a mutual friend named Rabbi Gross a kiruv rabbi on the East Coast who still remains good friends with both our families. Rabbi Gross was a bit of a mentor to Levi and Levi’s Shabbos table was patterned after the Grosses’ own weekly overflowing dining room.
