By Mica Soffer – Publisher, COLlive
Photos by Yossi Percia / COLlive
Chabad Shluchim in Long Island’s Five Towns Rabbi Zalman and Chanie Wolowik inaugurated the state-of-the-art Levi Yitzchok Library Sunday, a living memorial to their 9 year-old son who passed away nearly 2 years ago.
The sparkling new storefront center in Cedarhurst, New York, decorated in vibrant colors and boasting spacious rooms and play areas for preteens, teens and young children, was filled with kids sprawled on couches or leaning against their parents, happily reading Jewish books.
The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony, attended by a crowd of friends and community members of the Chabad of the Five Towns which the Wolowiks direct, took place the day after 20 Kislev, Levi Wolowik’s birthday.
The opening was an emotional milestone for his mother, Chanie Wolowik, who was seeing the results of 18 months of work to bring the Jewish book library for children to fruition.
“During the shiva, people asked me what I was going to do in memory of Levi,” Mrs. Wolowik told COLlive.com “Since he loved to read and write, we decided on a library, and one that the entire community could benefit from.”
“Seeing the children running around today, enjoying themselves, is an amazing feeling,” she says. “It’s incredible seeing the results of our many months of hard work.”
Once the Wolowiks began working on the project, funded by sponsorships from family and friends who wanted to do something in Levi’s memory, they discovered that they were not duplicating anything in their area, or anywhere else for that matter.
DIRECTOR VIA NEWSPAPER
Lisa Hawk, the library’s director, never met Levi Wolowik, but his short life has touched hers forever. She became involved with the library after reading an article in the newapaper about the plan following the tragedy, and reached out to them asking to be a part of it.
Hawk says creating a Jewish library had been her dream for a long time.
“My kids love reading, and Jewish books are expensive. The public library does not have an extensive collection of Jewish books, and the other books are a problem because you don’t know if the books are ok for your children to read, each one has to be screened. My dream was to create a place where kids could have access to only Jewish books.”
Hawk, who designed the library along with Chanie Wolowik and interior designer Janice Davis, said the library will carry a full selection of Jewish books from publishers from around the world.
“We’ve reached out to publishers from Australia, England and throughout the US,” she says. “We also have a selection of Hebrew books to make learning to read Hebrew more exciting and interesting, rather than only learning from a Siddur or Tehillim.”
PRAGUE’S SHUL IN CEDARHURST
The library is open to anyone who wants to enjoy reading a Jewish book on site, however in order to check books out, membership is required.
The membership fees are $54 per family of 6 per year, and members also receive discounts on family and educational programming to be held at the library throughout the year.
“We will have slew of programs, which will be unique to our library,” Hawk says. “We are working especially hard to make sure the programs we offer are not offered anywhere else.
A writing center offers children in the community an opportunity to interact with each other in order to work together. A child that enjoys writing can advertise on the board for another child who enjoys drawing to team up and create a book together.
A puppet theater modeled after the Jubilee Synagogue in Prague and a toddlers’ play center offer different forms of creative expression. Five sleek Apple computer stations loaded with Jewish content provide a safe place for children to do research, and a movie theater provides Jewish and educational programming.
The Wolowiks’ hope is that the library will help future generations enjoy learning as much as Levi did. “We wanted to establish something concrete to carry on Levi’s name,” Chanie said. “This library will surely do so.”
good jobe
IT WAS TRULY AMAZING!
It is absolutely amazing!!! You should have much continuous koach!!
Bracha, you definitely did an amazing job!!!!!!!!!!!
The children looked like they were having a blast, and so many mothers sounded so excited for their children to go there!
P.s. Someone already asked if she could send her babysitter there instead of the public library!
Its beautiful!!!
hey binymin
We appreciate all the warm wishes and hope everyone will visit soon. Regarding Janice Davis it was an absolute pleasure working with her, she is truly tops in her field and so reasonably priced. Janice put her heart and soul into this project and from the beginning it was always the cause over the price. We recommend anyone who needs some creative design to reach out to Janice at Janicedavisdesign.com
binymin
i was a best friend of levi obm and i practilly forced my mother to take me at of school to go to the ribbon cutting-when i went inside i was completely amazed at how good it was-once it opens on thursday i want to go there every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!moshaich now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This place is stunning! I can’t wait to come visit! Sorry I was too preoccupied to read your books 🙂
I’ll have to make a trip out of Central Perk and the Library.
levi wolowik was my second cousin!!!!!
What a loss the Wolowik’s had and how they took that big pain in their lives and turned it into such a beautiful thing amazes me! May you continue to be as successful and positive as you are on your Shlichus and may you be reunited with your beautiful son, Levi with the coming of MOshaich now!!
This is stunning! Can’t wait to visit.
from 646
luv your bais rivka friends
this place is amazing
Bracha…I guess the comments say it all! 🙂
u know who i am
and miss u sholom!
go wolowicks
go fursts
go geisenskys
OMG ITS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! WOW u did suuuuch a great job!!!!!!! Wolowik’s and Geisinsky’s you guyz rock!!!!!!!
Bracha, never imagined that this is the LIBRARY youve been working on, looks like a MUSEUM!!! KOL HAKOVOD!!!
Luv us at 540
ps thanx for including us
chanie, what a legacy you have left for your levi. you and your husband have taught all of us how to channel a challenge and bring forth so much light and blessing.
Through the merit of so many children becoming involved with judaism thru this magnificent project your nechama will truly come with moshiach and your reunion with your precious son, levi.
a shlucha from toronto
Bracha, you are seriously amazing.
The amount of hours spent, and late nights definately paid off, the library is gorgeous!
What would chanie do without you?!
This is absolutely stunning. Much success and Hatzlacha!!
Very very nice,
A lot of hatzlaco in your beautiful shlichus!!
Thank you to Lisa and Chanie for the most wonderful and rewarding project of my career. You are genuinely wonderful, amazing, loving & truly inspiring women. Thank you also to the person who posted kind words about my designs, but not only am I NOT among the most expensive in my field, I am actually among the least so. It’s never as much about the money to me as to the joy of creating, and that was never more true than with this wonderful library. My hope (and belief) is that a little boy in heaven is smiling today —… Read more »
You’ve created another incredible space to take my children to visit, the next time we come to NY from our makom hashlichus! Kol hakovod for channeling your loss into the most wondrous gain for the Jewish community around the world! Believe me, this is a place that people will want to visit whenever they come to NY.
Racheli Metal, Las Vegas
Hi
What a beautiful library!
Much nachas
FL
Rabbi & Rebbetzin – keep up the amazing work you do.
Hi cousins from crown street PO Box!!
F.T.
zalman and chani are an inspiration to all
There was so many people there b”h, a lot of work but a lot of fun! Good job to Brocha!
I will definitele be making the trip- looks like such a cozy and original place – and it’s tuly inspirational that u have challenged ur grief into something so positive for everyone! may you enjoy only happiness henceforth with moshiach now!!!
Hatzlacha Rabba!
Hi cousins from Crown Street PO Box!!
N.S.
The library is beautiful! What a z’chus for Levi. May you enjoy much hatzlacha from the library and all your amazing work.
yl
Who would have believed something so beautiful could have been achieved in such a short time? How was it funded?
The beauty and scope of this project is the most beautiful tribute of love and endurance!
What a zechus for Levi Yitzchok to have been born to these two special people – whos bond and commitment to him is such an inspiration.
The joy and meaning that his life was, is and continues to be is evident in this stunning project.
May Levi Yitzchok continue to inspire and bring joy – and may his awesome, awesome parents be blessed with revealed simcha and nachas.
I have had the opportunity to see many of Janice Davis’s projects….
They are all outstanding-
Janice has creativity and practicality all in one.
I highly recommend Janice Davis.
The only thing to consider is that she is one of the most expensive in her field.
Janice congradulations on another fabulous project.
Janice and Lisa Hawk (whom I know from childhood) you are a fabulous team that created a library that is amazing.
The amount of time and energy brocha kramer puts into the library is clearly shown!
On behalf of all of us that know you in the 5 towns – THANK YOU.
wow what a beautiful library!
ure the best!!
It looks absolutely outstanding!
very nice!!!!
(one questionn though…: on day two, g-d created the heaven and sky?? isn’t it heaven and sea, or sky and sea???)
Moshiach NOW!
Let’s dance with Levi Yistchak Wolowik!
WOW! It looks stunning. I am inspired that they have been able to channel their tragedy into such beauty.
I love you Rabbi Zalmen!!
Happy Chanukahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! :DD
may hashem give you koach in your shlichus to always be able to do such beautiful projects
it looks amazing
Rabbi Zalman good work