Review story helps link communities

By Miriam Straus

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This is a true and wonderful story of how a recent article in the Jewish Review sparked a life-giving change for someone in need. The article was the story of a kidney transplant between two dear friends, David Rosenberg and Marshall Spector.

My friend and neighbor, and “phone buddy,” was registered for a kidney transplant and becoming weaker by the day as she waited in line. I took the Review article to her and encouraged her to be pro-active and search her possibilities.

She did. She contacted her pastor at the Lake Grove Presbyterian Church. He put a few lines in their newsletter. Amazingly, three possible donors volunteered immediately.

The happy ending? One of the three was a perfect match. The transplant was scheduled, then delayed—almost to cancellation—but was at last re-scheduled and successfully performed June 30.

My friend is already a new person, beginning to write again (she’s a novelist) and enjoying her daily walks with Sadie, her adoring sheltie. Her donor, Cindy, is back at work being a mother to three young children and grateful that she could honor her commitment to “loving her neighbor.”

All of this came about because of the connection between communities—Jewish and Christian—honoring the same devotion to the concept of mitzvot.

I urge everyone to keep the message afloat. There is no need to despair. If you ask, if you engage their interest, your own community can make this happen, time and time again.

I hope you’re listening.

Miriam Straus
Lake Oswego
Congregation Shaarie Torah member