The Zaltzman family experienced the most unthinkable tragedy with the loss of their beloved son, Meir Shlomo, six years ago. It is their desire to honor his memory with perpetual acts of kindness in honor of his neshama, his soul. His names, Meir Shlomo, mean “illuminate” and “peace.” What better way to honor his memory than to create a fund that will illuminate the lives in our community with additional peace. The fund will stand as an ongoing tribute, and as each loan is extended and then repaid, the goodness continues perpetually.
The Hebrew word Gmach is an abbreviation composed of the three Hebrew letters gimmel, mem and ches, an acronym for gemillas chasodim, which translates as "acts of kindness."
The Meir Shlomo Simcha Gmach fund will be used to provide interest-free loans to families who have an upcoming celebration, such as a Bar Mitzvah or a wedding, but are having difficulty coming up with the lump-sum payment required to pay for the celebration. Families can turn to the JRCC to apply for a loan so that they can pay for the simcha over time, in a more manageable schedule of payments, instead of all at once.
Either through our own experiences or those of our friends and neighbors, we all know what it is like to experience financial distress. A Gmach fund enables people in our community to seek assistance while retaining their dignity in their time of joy, so that their celebration is not marred by stress or uncertainty. It is the ultimate dignified kindness, since the recipients do not feel like they are receiving charity.
Anyone who is able and willing to contribute to the fund becomes a partner in all the acts of kindness perpetuated by the Meir Shlomo Simcha Gmach, and will contribute to the honor of the neshama of Meir Shlomo.