When Community Connections Create Meaningful Moments: A Torah Restoration Story

Sometimes the most profound moments arise from simple connections within our communities. Recently, a resident of The Bristal at North Woodmere participated in an extraordinary project that demonstrates the power of preserving history and the importance of intergenerational dialogue in our communities.

A Sacred Mission Across Generations

Fred Zeilberger, a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor and resident of The Bristal at North Woodmere, was invited to contribute to the restoration of a pre-World War II Torah scroll. The Torah, originally hidden by a non-Jewish neighbor in Poland to protect it from the Nazis, had been damaged and is now being rebuilt letter by letter by Holocaust survivors around the world.

At a ceremony held at the Israel Chesed Center, Fred wrote the Hebrew letter Lamed, representing the letter L, in memory of his relative Leah, who died in the Holocaust, and his daughter Linda. This simple act connected him to a global community of survivors working together to restore this sacred text that represents faith, resilience, and the unbroken chain of Jewish heritage.

The Power of Community Networks

The connection between Fred and this meaningful project came through the networks that naturally come from within close-knit communities. When organizers needed to locate a Holocaust survivor in the Five Towns area, The Bristal community was able to facilitate this important introduction, demonstrating how residential communities can serve as bridges to broader opportunities for engagement and purpose.

“Being able to connect Fred, a resident of The Bristal community at North Woodmere, to this Torah restoration project has been profoundly meaningful,” said Jan Burman, Chairman of B2K Development. “This Torah survived the Holocaust because of a neighbor’s courage and compassion, understanding the sacred trust place in their care. Now Holocaust survivors like Fred are helping restore it, completing a circle of faith and renewal that transcends generations.”

Preserving Stories for Future Generations

Fred’s participation reflects a broader mission to ensure Holocaust experiences are preserved and shared. Having survived five concentration camps beginning before his 12th birthday and losing his entire family, Fred understands the critical importance of bearing witness. “I used to speak about it all the time. I spoke all over the world,” he shared. “Now there are less Holocaust survivors alive, all my friends, I am the only one left, and there is nobody talking about it.”

The Torah restoration project, led by Jonny Daniel of the From the Depths Foundation, brings together survivors from around the world to participate in rebuilding this sacred text while sharing their stories with younger generations. This approach ensures that both the physical Torah and the memories it represents continue to serve future communities.

Building Communities That Matter

This story illustrates why thoughtful community development matters. At The Bristal and in all of our residential communities, the goal extends beyond providing housing to creating environments where residents can continue to contribute meaningfully to the world around them. When communities are designed to foster connections and support resident engagement, extraordinary moments like Fred’s participation in the Torah restoration become possible.

As our communities continue to evolve, stories like this remind us that the most important developments are those that recognize the wisdom, experience, and continued potential of every resident. By facilitating connections and creating opportunities for purpose-driven engagement, we honor both individual legacies and our collective responsibility to preserve what matters most.