Rabbi Levy Works to Build Jewish Community

Louisville, KY — Rabbi Yosef Levy came to Louisville in 1999 to be the Orthodox Union’s (OU) kosher supervisor in Kentuckiana. In that capacity, he inspects nearly 100 food production facilities in an area stretching from London, KY, to Indianapolis, to Buckner to Bowling Green.

His job is demanding, involving long hours of travel, sometimes at short notice, and great attention to details.

But as a Chabad rabbi, he also feels it is incumbent upon himself to become part of the community he calls home, and to work to bring that community together and strengthen it.

Rabbi Levy explained, the Lubavicher Rebbe “taught us, you help each Jew, one at a time – meaning you go to the other side of the world just to help one Jew.” And, indeed, Rabbi Levy lives according to that principle.

To fulfill his obligations to the OU, he drives more than 50,000 miles a year. Wherever he stops, he is on the lookout for other Jews, to greet them and to let them know they are part of the Jewish people, wherever they are. “I found a Jew working at Wal-Mart in Bardstown,” he noted, “and I have met Jews in small cities in eastern Kentucky.

Rabbi Levy speaks Russian, so he talks with Louisville’s Russian Jews, too, letting them know they are valued members of the community. He’s also met Israelis at area malls and encouraged to attend synagogue or put on t’fillin (phylacteries – small leather boxes containing the Torah verses instructing Jews to bind God’s words on their arms and to put it between their eyes) – all “without pressure.”

“My outlook,” he continued, “is to seek out Jews, one at a time, help them with their heritage, and bring them back (to Judaism) with no pressure. I do not judge anybody but myself. … Who are we to decide who’s close (to God) and who’s far?”

Here in Louisville, Rabbi Levy found an active Jewish community, but he was disturbed by the limited communication among the different streams.

Guided by a strong belief that every Jew counts and is important, he took it upon himself to begin opening doors and encouraging Louisville’s Jews to come together as a community.

Indeed, Rabbi Levy and his wife, Shternie, are Louisville’s mitzvah team in action.

Nearly every Shabbat, the Levys welcome guests to their table. His guests come from all walks of life and their personal practice spans the spectrum of Judaism. He also welcomes visitors on other Jewish holidays.

On a recent weekend, the Levys hosted 25 students from Cincinnati at their home. To make their stay special and to mark Lag B’Omer (the 33rd day between Passover and Shavuot, often marked with picnics and field days), the Levys hosted a barbecue and bonfire at their home – and invited the entire community and more than 50 people attended. Since it was Derby eve, the Levys also had live Jewish music outside for their guests.

Young people, who might have missed the Lag B’Omer festivities, have not been forgotten. Teenagers – boys and girls – are invited to the Levys’ home every Tuesday night for “Parsha and Pizza,” a bit of Torah study and a snack.

He teaches bar mitzvah classes and is not paid for his efforts.

At the Jewish holidays – Chanukah, Purim and Pesach – he distributes “things appropriate for the holidays,” like shmura matzah (matzah made under strict rabbinic supervision throughout its production) at Passover, to more than 100 Jews in Kentucky, “because I enjoy helping people, and that’s what we’re here for.”

Although not trained as a counselor, Rabbi Levy is ready to help whenever he can. “Sometimes, the best thing is to let somebody talk to you for two hours and not say a word. And they say, ‘Rabbi, you have such good advice.”

Whenever he can, he fulfills the mitzvah of bikkur cholim – stopping by hospitals to visit the sick. On a monthly basis, he visits Jewish inmates in federal prisons – some more than 200 miles away. He is also in the process of joining Louisville’s Chevra Kadisha, the burial society.

Because of Rabbi Levy’s position with the OU, he is able to ask the companies he supervises to donate food to feed the hungry. A significant portion of the largesse goes to Jewish Family and Vocational Service’s Food Pantry; but he gives out food directly, too, helping as many people as he can.

He helps Chabad in Kentucky with their regular community outreach events, like the annual Purim party and the Chanukah on Ice. In addition, he produces the Chabad Art Calendar for the Louisville community. He also serves on Anshei Sfard’s board.

One of Rabbi Levy’s dreams is to see a single Jewish day school to serve the entire Louisville Jewish community. “It would be nice to see one good school,” he stated, “where everyone can work together.” In fact, even though their own children attend Torah Academy, Shternie Levy teaches at both Torah Academy and Eliahu Academy.

He is also open to working with members of the clergy from other congregations in Louisville. “For myself,” he explained, “we do not judge anybody. We’re here to help each other and to bring the Mashiach (messiah) as soon as possible. Hitler didn’t differentiate between religious and non-religious Jews.”

“My motto is unity,” he asserted. “We’re a small community, and we have to work together – whatever it takes – that’s the bottom line. I don’t know how long we’ll spend in Louisville, but as long as we’re here, we’ll do what we can for the community.”

He had words of praise for the Jewish Community Federation outreach efforts as it tries “to unite people and get them together.”
Rabbi Levy’s practice derives from the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of Chasidic Judaism). “A soul comes down into this world for 70 or 80 years,” he paraphrased, “just to do a favor for somebody else.”

He is also motivated by the reality of life in Louisville. “In the state of Kentucky, the number of Jews is going down,” he observed. “If we don’t learn to work together, we’re doomed. We have to … stick together and build a community.”
Although many of these activities require a significant financial outlay, the Levys don’t let that stop them. “I’m not going to not do something important because of the money,” he said, “even if it means going into debt. It’s a small community, and it’s important that we unite together.”
Born and raised in England, Rabbi Levy came to the United States at age 18. He settled in Brooklyn, NY, where he continued his rabbinical studies, received his smicha (ordination), and was introduced to his wife.

The Levys have five children, Shimon, 10; Malka, 9; Rika, 7; Menachem, 4; and Chaya, 2.

“If anyone needs help in any way – to study, about kashrut or in some other way,” Rabbi Levy offered, he or she “is welcome to call or e-mail. I will do whatever I can to help.”