Reb Zev Wolfson Z"L – a tribute

A little under a decade ago, I met Zev for the first time. I had an outline for a Kiruv idea, and someone brought me to meet Zev at the Plaza in Jerusalem to discuss it with him. I remember how shocked I was when I met him. Zev Wolfson, the famous billionaire, was the most unassuming, simple-looking man I had ever met. He listened carefully to my idea, and enthusiastically told me that he thought it was a great idea, and that I could come and discuss it with him whenever I wanted.

Several months later I did so, meeting with him in his office in Manhattan during a taanis. As he was taking his insulin, he was talking about the halachos of whether a diabetic was allowed to eat on a taanis. It was only the second time I had ever met him, but I came out of that office with the financial support I needed to start an organization that is mekarev thousands of Jews each year.

There is no doubt that the loss is all ours; Zev’s place in Olam Haba cannot be doubted. He may have been a billionaire in dollars on this world, but he is arriving there with many, many more billions of Mitzvos committed by those he caused to come closer to Yiddishkeit.