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As Jewish singers & artists from around the world gathered to celebrate the release of a song in support of Sholom Rubashkin on Thursday, 29 Tishrei, one of the biggest stars was nowhere to be found. Singer and co-composer, Mordechai Ben David, was in Cincinnati, OH visiting a little boy, who needed some support and cheering up of his own.

MBD Visits Leizer At Cincinnati Burn Hospital

As Jewish singers & artists from around the world gathered to celebrate the release of a song in support of Sholom Rubashkin on Thursday, 29 Tishrei, one of the biggest stars was nowhere to be found. Singer and co-composer, Mordechai Ben David, was in Cincinnati, OH visiting a little boy, who needed some support and cheering up of his own.

This summer, Leizer Galperin, from Nachlas Har Chabad, was severely burnt with 3rd degree burns on over 80% of his body, just a couple weeks before his 6th birthday. While his father, Shmulik, was out at work and his mother, Devory, was sleeping in a nearby room, a fire broke out in Leizer’s room.

By the time his mother came to rescue him, the flames had already engulfed Leizer and his room was a raging inferno. After a few minutes a neighbor heard the commotion, grabbed a wet towel and ran into the room to pull Leizer out. In the span of a few minutes, the lives of Leizer and his family were turned upside down.

After a few days in Tel HaShomer Hospital, his doctors recommended he get the top-of-the-line treatment that could only be found at the Shriners Burn Center for Children in Cincinnati, Ohio. One week after the fire, Leizer was flown to Cincinnati where he was immediately accepted at Shriners.

The Doctors gave Shmulik, who flew with Leizer to Cincinnati, the devastating news that saving Leizer would require amputations on both of his legs and on the fingers of one of his hands! But Leizer is a fighter. After tens of surgeries and skin grafts he has undergone so far, Leizer is making great progress.

More than 3 months have passed since that dreadful night and Leizer still finds himself in the Hospital. It was only a few weeks ago that he was taken outside for the first time since arriving in Cincinnati.

Leizer and his family will need to stay in Cincinnati for another year while he gets more treatment, goes through extensive therapy, and is fitted with prosthetics. Even after Leizer is free to go back to Israel with his family, he will need to return for many years to come to perform more skin grafts and surgeries.

It was this story that inspired MBD to make a special trip to visit Leizer. Emotions were high when MBD started singing, and the friends and family gathered there immediately broke out in a dance.

Leizer demanded to be put on his Tatty’s shoulders and the joy was palpable throughout the room. Then the songs became more somber, and MBD began taking requests from Leizer and his family. Soon Leizer decided it was his turn to take the mike causing another dance to break out.

MBD took Leizer’s hand and danced with him a few times.

Spirits ran high and there was not a dry eye in the room. Leizer was smiling from ear to ear and he demanded to be spun around on someone’s shoulders. MBD constantly encouraged Leizer to stay strong and to always be happy.

By the end of the evening, Leizer and his brother, Berish, were singing MBD’s hit song ‘Moshiach, Moshiach’ while MBD stood by, encouraging the boys.

Before MBD left, Leizer’s Zaidy, Rabbi Shimon Holtzberg thanked MBD and reminded him of the Rebbe’s brochah to continue to make people happy until Moshiach comes!!

The event was sponsored by MiSameach, Lakewood, NJ.

The Galperin family has been taken out of their home and brought to a place where nothing is familiar. Shmulik and Devory don’t speak the language, don’t drive, can’t work, and one of them is always in the Hospital with Leizer.

The 3 other children are slowly adapting to the language, their new schools, and are working hard at making new friends. Aside from losing almost everything in the fire, the Galperins have a lot of living expenses and have no income at this time.

Please send your tax deductible donations to:

Galperin Emergency Fund
2420 Twigwood Ln.
Cincinnati, OH 45237

To donate by credit card or to donate in Israel, go to kerentzdaka.org

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24 Comments

  • A. Fried setting the tone

    What’s with MBD? He’s made for the camera. Sounds like Oprah to me. Avremel, nothing beats your genuine chassidishkeit; even without a camera!!!!

  • Boruch Hashem

    Their are beautiful chasidim out there like Moshe Pekkar and MBD who made special time to go visit little lazer in his time of need,thank you both. We Want Moshiach Now!Ad Mosai

  • shmuli

    i cant take this golus anymore Hashem plese plese plese enough……………………..

  • TO COMMENT #1

    To comment #1.

    You suckt that right out of your thumb. Where do you pick up your gelousy from?
    MBD is the KING and nothing beats his orah, sound, look, neshomo, voice, and most of all he’s not stuck up like FRIED.

    Fried thinks he’s such a big star that he has to be humble. MBD is the real deal.!!!

  • Cher

    I donated a couple of weeks ago when they had an article up abt a different singer that visited Keizer. The website was a different one. I hope that both websites are going straight to the family. Plz let us know where to donate to

  • cc

    let us not wait for these nisyonos / challenges to show ahavas yisroel. Let us show our love for others before anything happens and maybe it won’t happen.

  • Yossi

    To #1:
    It’s amazing how some people’s response to a simple sweet story needs to be laced with negativity.

    Do you think MBD needs this to sell CD’s? Is it not possible that he simply wanted to help?

  • setting the record straight

    It isn’t so much Yisroel Mangel as it is his father- and mother-in-law and his many brother- and sister-in-laws, as well as the 20+ Lubavitch family in the city. But, whatever.

  • s.a

    to #16 – let me clarify to you that rabbi mangel has a lot more to do than the others in the community. he hosted the entire galperin family for the tishrei holidays plus more. please dont comment unless u know. thanks. and kudos to the rest of the cincinnati community as well. may you see much brochos.

  • mottelle

    GUYS somebody got hurt, we need more Ahavas Yisroel and comments like numbers 1, 10, 16 are dripping with such venom they make me sick to the stomach. If you have nothing positive to say say nothing. Yes I realize I am a hypocrite then but someone has to point it out.
    Refuah Shleimah, vhaikar

  • oooooooooooooyyyyyyyyyyy

    oy i feell so bad for him it is to sad for me i cant evan look at the pictures it is to sad

  • touched

    wow there is so much we can learn from these singers they put there life away to help others mi keomcha yisroel.mbd you have a lot coming to you after 120