by Rabbi Mendel Rivkin
We often hear the expression “truth is stranger than fiction.” I have a story to share that is a perfect match. It is a tale that combines amazing Divine Providence, selfless devotion to good deeds and the inexplicable sad story of a Jewish woman named Leah.
This week, through the efforts of several devoted members of our community, a Meis Mitzvah – a deceased person with no one to arrange their burial – was given a full Jewish burial. Leah Shpock-Luzovsky passed away in Jackson, Louisiana.
The only known relative, her Israeli brother Yitzchak Shpock, immediately contacted Chabad after he was informed by the Israeli Consulate of her passing. Uzzi Kehaty and Rabbi Zelig Rivkin worked diligently with Adam Stross, a member of the Chevra Kaddisha, to arrange for a Jewish burial. Sandy Lassen of the Chevra Kaddisha was involved as well with arranging the details.
Marshall Gerson, of the Beth Israel Cemetery (an affiliate of Beth Israel Synagogue – president Roselle Ungar) graciously offered a free burial plot. In the end, the combined efforts of these and other devoted members of the community, ensured that Leah was given the optimum Jewish funeral & burial as she was escorted to her final resting place, with Rabbi Yossie Nemes officiating.
Who was Leah Shpock and how did she end up in Jackson, Louisiana? How did Yitzchak know Chabad in New Orleans? Leah served in the IDF during the mid to late 1950s. Upon completing her army service she was awarded a full academic scholarship to Berkeley. Sometime during or after her four year stint at Berkeley, Leah experienced a severe mental breakdown. One can only speculate that the rampant hard core drug use in that era contributed to her situation. Somehow she wound up in New Orleans and lost all contact with her family in Israel.
In 2007 Yitzchak Shpock arrived at Louis Armstrong Airport looking for his sister, Leah, who had disappeared over 40 years earlier. The last known address he had for her was the Hummingbird Motel on Julia St. in Downtown New Orleans. As he took his place in the taxi line, Divine Providence took over. Of all the cab drivers in NOLA, he was picked up by an Israeli, Kotel Sadrusi. Kotel assessed the situation and brought Yitzchak directly to Uzzi Kehaty’s New York Camera on Canal St. Uzzi arranged a place for him to stay – with a couple of young Israelis who were working in New Orleans. So after being in NOLA for 30 minutes Yitzchak already knew 5 people and all of the spoke Hebrew.
After settling in and getting to know the Chabad Uptown community, he headed to the Julia St. address that he had. The hotel no longer existed but some of the shop owners on the street seemed to remember an individual who fit Leah’s description.
One kind women, Martha Owens, took a real interest in helping Yitzchak track down his sister. It turns out that Leah was a New Orleans street personality well known as “the bead lady” for over three decades. Though she had not been seen on the streets for ten years, many people remembered her. Where was she now? It was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
With the dedicated help of Julie Powers of the Coroner’s office, who was helping to locate people that were missing since Katrina, the search began in earnest. Finally, using a lead from the Social Security Admin, Leah was located at the East Louisiana State Hospital – a state psychiatric ward in Jackson, LA. Martha Owens escorted Yitzchak to Jackson to see his sister. She was too ill to be moved to Israel.
Leah Shpock passed away last week. The “red tape” of government agencies did not allow them to make an oversees call. Finally Julie Powers was informed and she enlisted the Israeli Consulate who called Yitzchak. The wonderful people involved in helping Yitzchak find Leah, Martha Owens and Julie Powers, and those that arranged for her proper Jewish burial, were present at her funeral where they wrote the final chapter of this story of sadness, true kindness and Divine Providence.
One more thing we learn from this story is that no matter what a person looks like externally, inside there is a Neshama for which heaven and earth were moved to ensure that its final journey would be the one that a Jewish soul deserves. The individuals involved in this story shared with me how moved they are to be a part of the Divine Plan in helping another person in this way. May Hashem bless all of them in the merit of their Chesed Shel Emes – true kindness to someone that cannot reciprocate.
– Rabbi Mendel Rivkin is program director at Chabad-Lubavitch of Louisiana.
Thank you for sharing this tender and poignant story with us. Sara
I absolutely JUST told my roommate I got him a lucky favs bean from a St.Joseph’s Alter & spoke about the bead lady. I saw her all the time in the 70s when I ran a shop on St. Peter. I bought a lucky bead from her & my co-worker distained her. Leah ” cursed” her with bad luck for not buying a bead & funny ( bad) things happened to her the rest of the day! I admired her toughness on the street. I loved our New Orleans Quarter folks that were different ( I was the Duck Girl’s… Read more »
There is no negativity in commenter #5’s post. He is simply stating fact. To me he was saving the lady’s dignity by explaining that it shouldn’t be implicated that she was a drug abuser simply because of the time period and location she was in.
My responses to this touching story of a life worth honoring and remembering, as all of our lives are worthy of, for we are all the children and our names written in the book of life. No judgement, here. Thanks to the those who assisted so selflessly and condolences to Leah’s brother.
For years she made her way through the Quarter offering beads for sale to anyone ..local or tourist…who did not shy away. She definitely added to the stories of those who encountered her. She seemed to be a loner and how wonderful if she could have been reunited with family sooner. RIP Bead Lady.
How wonderful to hear that the Bead Lady’s family found her.
And how absolutely marvelous to hear her story told for the first time. She sounded like she was speaking in tongues when she spoke but maybe that was her native tongue she was speaking. She walked our streets and spoke to my daughter and I often. Rest in Peace Leah
I remember this lady. I lived on
New Madison Street in the quarter and saw her every day for years. I am so happy that in the end, those of us who saw her and wondered about her, now know her name. Rest in peace Leah.
I knew La La the Bead Lady when I worked in Vieux Carre galleries in the 80’s. Yes, she was mentally disabled but she was not stupid or unaware. She would ask if you would like to buy a lucky bead. if you answered anything less than $5. she scolded you and turned away. Every season she decorated her football helmet with appropriate colors and trinkets. She never really acknowledged me but she would come into my gallery and hang out at least once a week. I’d ask her how she was doing and she wouldn’t answer but she was… Read more »
Leah, bka The Bead lady, was a very visible and regular fixture in the French Quarter during my 25 years of living in New Orleans. She was always a mystery to those of us who came in contact with her. I saw her frequently and had frequent interaction with her at a cafe where I worked in the early 80’s. She was quite a character and provided us all with many tales to tell about her. I am so happy to hear that her family finally found her and that she was given a respectful burial. This lays to rest… Read more »
Love the bead lady a true new Orleans character!
Love the story….she was part of my everyday….leaving and working in the French quarter.she was also known as the helmet lady…
Now I know. Thank you so much for sharing this story.
I agree with #6. A long beautiful story that says so much about the New Orleans community and #5, who obviously knows nothing about anything, has to comment like that.
No one stigmatized her here.. That is the beauty of this story. No matter who she is, no matter what, the obvious incredible New Orleans community shows its kindness every time.
And our condolences to the brother who finally found her.
(#5- Get a life and crawl back in your hole!)
The implication of drug abuse as being the source of her difficulties is unfair and most probably inaccurate. The onset of several mental illnesses occurs exactly when a person is in their early 20’s. She was obviously someone of high academic standing as the recipient of a full scholarship.
May her neshama have an immediate aliya and may all those involved in bringing about her jewish burial be blessed.
leave it to you find some kernel of negativity in this story…
thats the one thing you come away with after reading this incredible story?
jaded….sad!
Sad story. However, the speculation as to drug abuse should be deleted. There are many types of mental illness and people often suffer from serious mental illness that is not caused by drug abuse. For example, there is no evidence that drugs cause schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, although some people suffering from mental illness might turn to drugs because they are more vulnerable or are self-medicating. It is an insult to this woman to try to blame her for her own afflication and represents the stigmatizing of mental illness in some portions of the frum community which then deters people… Read more »
keep up the great work to help every single person – no matter who
A very special story
yshar koach for all that you do there
the rebbe is surely proud
Beautiful yet sad story
It is nice to know what happened to the Lucky Bead Lady. Thanks for sharing her story.
Thank you for telling her story.