Brooklyn, NY – Less than thirty three hours since the Kletzy family announced that an official fund had been established in memory of their son Leiby, the Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund has managed to raise over $100,000 for families in crisis.
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“While we are surprised by the amazing response we have been getting, in a way it isn’t a surprise at all because we know that Leiby’s story touched countless people all over the world,” said a spokesperson for the fund to VIN News. “Baruch Hashem, so many people have made donations and we are looking forward to using that money to helping families in their time of need.”
leibykletzkymemorialfund.com has received so much traffic that at times people trying to access the site, which contains heartwarming pictures and the latest Leiby news, find themselves temporarily locked out. The site has raised $113,447 as of this writing with more and more donations coming in by the minute.
Meanwhile, Leiby Kletzky’s parents, Nachman and Itta Kletzky, released a statement today saying that they will find comfort if New Yorkers do “acts of unity and lovingkindness” and contribute to a memorial fund set up in their son’s name that will help other families in “dire need.”
Statement From Leiby Kletzky’s Parents
By the Grace of G-d
Tammuz 19, 5771 / July 21, 2011
The traditional seven intense days of mourning (“shiva”) for our beloved Leiby are complete, but the ache in our hearts will remain forever.
We thank G-d for the nearly nine beautiful years that He entrusted us with Leiby’s pure soul. We are certain that Leiby is now looking down from heaven and blessing us all.
We would like to once again thank all our friends and neighbors; all the selfless volunteers from near and far; local, city, state, and federal agencies; and all our fellow New Yorkers and beyond who assisted us physically, emotionally, and spiritually—as well as all of G-d’s children around the world who held our dear Leiby in their thoughts and prayers.
We pray that none of you should ever have to live through what we did. But if any tragedy is to ever befall any of you, G-d forbid, you should be blessed with a community and public as supportive as ours. We feel that through Leiby we’ve become family with you all.
Many of you have asked us what you can do now in Leiby’s memory, and how you can help us find comfort. Looking back at Leiby’s all-too-short years among us, here are a few ideas:
Acts of unity and lovingkindness. Let us perpetuate the feeling of collective responsibility and love expressed during the search for Leiby. An additional act of kindness toward your neighbor, or to those less fortunate than you, can go a long, long way toward perfecting our world. Putting a couple of coins into a charity box daily is oneway of tangibly expressing that lovingkindness.
Gratitude. Leiby deeply cherished his siddur, his prayerbook, and praying to G-d meant the world to him. He was known by his teachers for his concentration in prayer, always being the last to finish. In Leiby’s memory, when you wake up each morning take a few moments to pray and reflect and thank G-d for giving us life (“Modeh Ani” in the prayerbook).
Light. Every Friday evening our family sits down together for Shabbat dinner to the light of the Shabbat candles. A candle shines for each of our children—and Leiby’s candle will always be included. On Friday evening, please give a few coins to charity and light the candles before sunset with our beloved Leiby in mind.
Memorial fund. Together with Rabbi Binyamin Eisenberger, we have established a memorial fund to help people in dire need (www.leibykletzkymemorialfund.com), to channel the lovingkindness shown to us and our dear Leiby toward many, many others in need. We welcome your participation.
From the deepest place in our hearts, we thank you all for your help, your support and your prayers. May Leiby’s soul live on as a blessing inside each and every one of you.
Sincerely,
Nachman and Itta Kletzky
How they had the strengh to come up with such a perfect statement is beside me. I had tears in my eyes reading their request to honor Leiby’s memory, especialy where they mention that Leiby’s candle will always be included. So sad to see that candle burn without him at the shabbos table.
Nice.
The tears keep rolling. These special parents of Leiby z”l have been mekadesh sheim shomayim in ways that most of us in a life time could not be able to. What madreigos some yidden could reach. May they find true nechama.
I think the idea of the fund is terrific and the Kletzky family has shown huge dignity in the way they are moving forward with their lives….however I am troubled by the fact that an outside company is involved in the fundraising. There should be no profiteering as a result of this tragedy and 100% of the funds raised should go to worthwhile causes within the community.
Wow! I’m too emotional and having tears!
What a beautiful statement. Last week I baked challah and as I took off challah and made the brachah I was thinking of Leiby.
i am really confused right now the site has a picture of a man with long hair and sunglasses.. def not leiby
when I went I went into theleibykletzkymemorialfund there is a picture of a man with sunglasses and not the pictures of leiby. Anyone knows why that is?
WOR radio 710 Steve Mahlzberg, has a link on his WOR radio website to donate – last night within less thna an hour he raised over $2000.00