He’s a Paramedic; she’s an EMT and a qualified life-guard. Together, Ari and Deborah Lewitter devote their time to saving lives.
Their inspirational qualities don’t end there. Ari and Deborah give of their resources to many charitable organizations. But their involvement in NCSY is unmatched. As NCSY Board Members, they have attended almost every single Shabbaton for the last 12 years. What draws the Lewitters to NCSY? “It’s such a unique program,” Ari says. “It’s one of the few kiruv programs that also engages religious teens.”
Deborah adds, “The fact that they also nourish kids who come from frum backgrounds is very important. You can come from yeshivas your whole life and know what’s expected of you. But NCSY takes religion and makes it exciting. Mitzvos become something you want to do, something fun, not just a chore. NCSY provides the heart to Torah observance.”
Ari and Deborah both attended NCSY while growing up in New Jersey: he in Long Branch; she in Trenton. While married, they continued to participate in the annual NCSY fundraiser in their shul. Then in 1999 – nearly 25 years after they last attended an NCSY Shabbaton – they were invited to join a weekend Regional Convention, and fell in love with NCSY all over again. “It reminded us how much we loved Shabbatons when we were younger.”
After that, Ari and Deborah became heavily involved. They helped to create an active layperson Board. They were also two of the key figures in writing many of NCSY’s policies that ensure participants are safe and secure. And they donated a Sefer Torah in memory of Deborah’s father that travels with NCSY around the country. “You’ve got to be the one to stand up and make sure it flourishes,” Deborah said. “You can’t wait for someone else. We had a 16 year old and a 6 month old and we wanted to make sure there would be a strong NCSY for them when they grew up.”
Ari and Deborah are determined to ensure that their enthusiasm is passed down to their children. Currently, their older daughter is president of NCSY’s Highland Park, N.J. chapter and a member of the regional board, while their younger daughter just joined junior NCSY. “They are unique kids”, Ari says. “They have been to almost every Regional Convention.” He is proud to watch NCSY grow in its reach and impact. “It’s great to see,” he says, “how they get more and more kids involved each year. And they are doing tremendous work. I’m shepping nachas.”
While at the Shabbatons, Ari and Deborah let the professionals handle the programming, while their focus is on making sure all the kids are safe. When it was pointed out to Deborah that they are true lifesavers, not just through their EMT, paramedic and life-guarding duties but also through their involvement with NCSY’s outreach work too, a beam spread across her face. “I never thought of it like that. But I guess it’s true”.
