Michael Levin. Photo courtesy of the Levin family.
The Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation is bringing comedian and former lone soldier Joel Chasnoff to Congregation Tifereth Israel in Bensalem on Oct. 21 for the first event in a three-part fundraiser series for the foundation.
The event is part of the foundation’s mission to support lone soldiers, members of the IDF without a family in Israel to support them.
The other two events will be held on Oct. 27 at Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley and Oct. 29 at Temple Israel in Massachusetts.
The Michael Levin Foundation and the Michael Levin Base in Israel were created after the death of Philadelphia native Michael Levin, who fell in combat in 2006, four years after making Aliyah to serve in the IDF.
“The entire idea of helping lone soldiers was Michael’s idea. When he was in uniform for about a year, he went to a friend of his who worked for the Jewish Agency and told him that, ‘When I finish my service in a year, we are going to start a lone soldier organization in Israel.’ No such organization existed at the time,” said Mark Levin, Michael’s father and a co-founder of the foundation.
Levin said that the foundation fulfills grant requests to support the lone soldier community in Israel, notably with the Michael Levin Base in Israel for lone soldiers. The father said that, today, 19 years after Michael’s death, the lone soldier organizations in his name are supporting around half of the 7,000 total lone soldiers in Israel.
“It was all our son’s idea. This is his legacy, aside from being a passionate Zionist,” Levin said.
Harriet Levin, Michael’s mother and a co-founder of the foundation, said that one of the biggest needs for soldiers right now is PTSD and other trauma support, and the base has undergone efforts to provide services for soldiers.
The mother said that the base provides these soldiers a home away from home and gives them a community of fellow lone soldiers.
She added that having this fundraiser will allow the foundation to fill more grant requests across Israel, but especially at the base, which is their top priority, as it was named after their son and has “his vision at heart.”
“We’ll be raising money. We’ll have raffles and 50/50s and gift baskets and silent auctions. And all the money raised, all the proceeds raised that night will go into the foundation’s coffers, which will help fulfill the grant requests that are coming over from the Israeli organizations,” Mark said.
Harriet said that she met Chasnoff 13 years ago, when she and Mark were doing another fundraiser for lone soldiers and Chasnoff drove with his wife and kids from New York to attend.
She added that Chasnoff said that he would do what he could in the future to help the organization.
Harriet said that most of Chasnoff’s comedy routine is about being a lone soldier, and that she has previously spoken about lone soldiers before Chasnoff opened his comedy act in New Jersey.
“He and I go back many years,” Harriet said. “So, we contacted him and talked to him about this event, and we decided to bring him in.”
The couple said they are expecting about 150 people to attend the first event at Tifereth Israel, which is the synagogue that they attend. Having that support from the community is “heartwarming,” according to Harriet.
But she added that it’s a “double-edged sword” because they wouldn’t have to be planning and leading any events if Michael was still alive.
“It’s hard for me. I think it makes losing Michael easier because I know that we’re fulfilling his dream beyond anything he could have ever imagined,” Harriet said. “And Michael’s name is so well known. Mark and I, especially in Israel, we walk down the streets; people recognize us.”
“It was in Israel last year, we happened to meet President (Isaac) Herzog, and the first words out of his mouth to Harriet were, ‘You know, your son is a national hero,’” Mark said.
Harriet said she hopes people hear about the event and learn about Michael’s story. The Levins also hope that community members can support the foundation so that they can keep supporting lone soldiers in Israel.
“These kids don’t have to do this, so it’s our job to take care of them,” Harriet said.