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Burn Victim, Leizer Needs your Help!

It’s a peaceful night in the Galperin household in Kiryat Malachi. Reb Shmuel, the devoted father, is working as a night watchman, while Devora lovingly puts the children to bed, and then turns to her pile of mending. All is silent, as the children are asleep.

Suddenly, there is a hiss of flames, and black curls of smoke burst out from the children’s bedroom. Little Leizer’s bed is surrounded by fire! The terrified child wakes up, screaming in pain and fear. “Ima! Save me! Help!”



The other three children, on the far side of the room, are rescued by their mother, but Leizer….five year old Leizer is trapped. His cries grow weaker. “Ima! I can’t breathe! It’s hot!”

Terrified, Devora tries to reach him once again, but she cannot pass the hellish flames. Alerted by the screams, a brave young neighbor bursts into the room and grabs the burning child through the fall of flames, rushing him out to safety.


Sirens wail hysterically as little Leizer, barely conscious and burned on almost 90% of his body, is rushed to Tel Hashomer Hospital. The doctors shake their head, doubting the child can survive…

But the parents don’t give up hope. They ask for a second opinion…. then a third. Rabbi Elimelech Firer of Ezra L’marpeh recommends Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Cincinnati, a leader in burn care, with the world renowned burn specialist Dr Richard Kagan M.D., Chief of the Division of Burn Surgery.


As Leizer was fighting for his life, a difficult transfer had to be arranged. Rabbi Isaac Leider of VitalOne stepped in, once again making the impossible possible and making all logistical arrangements. At last, the El-Al plane, with airborne ICU, arrived at Newark Airport, where Rabbi Leider was waiting. An air ambulance jet with highly trained pediatric ICU doctors flew Leizer to Cincinnati, where the medical team was waiting. Time was of the essence.

Due to the diligent efforts of Rabbi Leider and his team, the medical plane was given clearance, ahead of several jumbo jets, and it arrived at Shriner’s Hospital in record time. Dr. Kagan took the precious child under his care. The rest is up to the Ribono Shel Olam and His messengers.

This life-saving flight, with all its technical details and logistics, was coordinated by VitalOne at a cost of $50,000. But how can one talk about money when a precious human life is at stake?

Innocent little Leizer, full of life and joy one moment, clinging to life the next while suffering excruciating pain. Dare we give up hope on this little tzaddik?


His devoted parents have left their other children behind to accompany him, for what could be years of grueling treatments. In the meantime, their home is burned to the ground. They are homeless, penniless, and struggling to remain sane amidst so much suffering.

Dare we turn our backs on their pain? How can we ignore the terrified screams of a five year old child, crying, “Ima, save me!”

Concerned askanim are desperately trying to raise the funds to cover the transport and other medical expenses. Your generosity can make all the difference. Think of precious Leizer and his sweet, innocent smile. With your help, he will smile again one day, with Hashem’s miraculous cure.

Online donations can be made at:
 http://www.kerentzdaka.org/contents.asp?aid=41764

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30 Comments

  • HT

    May Hashem bless all the volunteers and the organizations helping this poor, poor child.

  • Oy Vey!

    It’s very very sad! Oy! We NEED Moshiach Right Now! But why do you have to put the picture of his face? It can scare people!

  • moshiach now

    oish moshiach now!!! please HASHEM!! have mercy save lazer!!!!

  • la costa

    please post his full name. a picture is worth a thousand words and for sure many more will daven for him. bsoras tovas and a complete refuah shlayma.

  • Proud

    As I sit here with tears in my eyes I am also filled with so much strength seeing how we yidden are always there for each other. May this little boy have a complete and speedy recovery.

  • email please?

    Filled out the online form with credit card. Nothing happened when I pushed ‘submit’ Don’t have time erev Shabbos to make the phone call. No email is listed. I want to send a screen shot of the info I filled out to submit it. Any email available?

  • ah poshitar yid fuin shcunah

    is the name laizer ben devorah ? thelim or meshabreach

  • Anash in Cincinnati with the family

    How about a little sensitivity for the family!!!!!! What a chutzpah to post a picture of the child’s scarred face online for the whole world to see! Did it ever occur to you that some people do not like their privacy violated?!
    And what about all the children who read this site – do they really need to see this?

  • Aaron Cohen

    Umi k’amcho yisroel-such organized help on both ends of the trip. It that Zchus alone Hashem should send him a full and speedy recovery.

  • moshiach NOW!!

    vey vey, this is just too much Hashem Please!! make a nes! refua shleima we cannot seee this!

  • refuah shelaima!!! moshiach now!!!

    refuah shelaima!!!
    We are saying tehillim!
    moshiach now!

  • his name can be found

    on any chabad website or even on google

    and his mothers name is most obviously from the story – devorah leah

  • to # 1

    his name is chaim eliezer lipman ben devorah leah. may he have a speedy and fully recovery,and we shuld all merit 2 c moshiach now!

    ( nothing important but im the same age as u)

  • to 14

    when i saw that pic i started shaking and now im saying tehillim with more kavana cuz its more real..

  • Trying to donate but CAN-T!!

    Still need an email…and the 800 number for the vaad harabbonim number is missing a number. Keep trying to make a donation…ut CAN’T!!!

  • Aviva Cohen

    it is very important to see the icture of this poor child, including his face, maybe it will help more people to donate money to help ut this poor family with all their expenses!
    How is the person who rushed in and saved him? Nothing is said about the neighbor! What a special yid to risk his own life to save that child!

  • Friend in Kiryat Malachi

    The Father Rav Shmulik is a Mashgiach in a meat plant. He is respected by all and a real mentsch. Hashem please send a quick Refuah Sheleima to Chaim Eliezer Lipman ben Devorah Leah – NOW – AMEIN.

  • baffled

    Hope the family was consulted on the article and pictures that were posted. It is unblievable that one would want so much detail to be published. The family has such kedusha and are so humble. I hope he has a complete refuah shlaimah and whoever is controlling all the funds that are being raised to have the koach to use it and not be taken advantage of
    There is no doubt in my mind why any Yid who owns any resources the family can benefit from should be able to donate items or needs fully and not put an “amount” on the needs or “job”
    Hope no organization or person is taking a paycheck from any of the figures included in the price of this transfer. Have previous experience with other medical transfers in the usa which did not add up to 50,OOO.

  • sad in NY

    Refuah shleima.
    This is really sad.
    Hopefully, with our help and tfillos, they will have the funds to take care of him.
    Moshiach Now

  • WAKE UP!!!!!!!!

    WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!!!! GEVALD!!!!!!! SO THEY POSTED A PICTURE WHICH SHOWS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! WHY NOT (ESPECIALLY NOW IN THE THREE WEEKS) CONCENTRATE ON THE GOOD??? ON THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO HAVE AND STILL ARE BENDING OVER BACKWARDS TO HELP THESE POOR PEOPLE. WAKE UP CHEVRA! IT’S UP TO US TO CONTROL THE URGE TO ALWAYS FIND A FAULT IN EVERYTHING, EVEN WHEN IT’S A GOOD THING. THAT, IS THE TRUE TEST OF HOW MUCH ONE WANTS MOSHIACH! IF HE CAN WITHHOLD HIS NEGATIVE COMMENT FOR THE SAKE OF BRINGING MOSHIACH JUST THAT LITTLE BIT CLOSER.

  • 9 year old chani

    poor kid may hashem send him a refuah shelaimah and he should recover 100%

  • 9 year old chani

    poor kid may hashem send him a refuah shelaimah and he should recover 100%

  • chayaF

    please, please all yidden, all people get smoke alarms. Smoke alarms have saved our family two times. Just last week, I fell asleep on the sofa, and the alarm went off Friday night. A spark must have alighted off the tray and on the wooden sideboard,and it was already starting a small fire! If not for that smoke alarm… please, its a couple of dollars, and saves lives, please everyone check your smoke alarms. please!!!!!!

  • cholim rep.

    TO #21
    being involved in medical transfers from Israel on an ongoing basis just the transfer from Israel to the US including the space for the strecher (usually 4-6 seats plus the cost of the medical teams. can run upwards of $25,000 so please if you have no idea keep your mouth shut & your’e fingers of the keyboard