This tragic story began in late 2011 when Rabbi Shimon Lesserson of Los Angeles was given legal custody of his four children. Instead of bringing the four children to court, the children’s mother ran off to Mexico with the children and a convicted felon she married while he was in prison.
After many years, the children and the adults ultimately ended up in a trailer park in Idaho where a few days ago they were located by Federal Marshals. The ex-wife was arrested and charged with kidnapping. During the years they were with the mother, the children were abused mentally and emotionally, trained not to talk to anyone, and taught to hate their father and paternal grandparents. Tragically, they also were baptized and brought up as Christians.
Please help give this family a future. All donations are tax deductible, through Congregation Bais Gavriel, Tax ID 68-0532898
The children haven’t been to school, stores or had access to medical care in over nine years. One of the children, a dwarf, has medical challenges that haven’t been treated in nine years. Their emotional and intellectual development has been greatly stunted by the neglect they suffered and the environment in which they have been raised. These children are in desperate need of trauma therapy, special education and tutors, and many other services that won’t be covered by any insurance. Shimon and his family have begun and plan to do all they can, but this is an extremely costly and time-consuming process.
The family suffered tremendously over the years, not knowing the fate of the children and missing out on the majority of their formative years. They are now determined to help these scarred and traumatized children heal. Reb Shimon himself is still recuperating from Covid-19, after spending months in the ICU and rehab.
The costs are tremendous and we as a community need to do all we can to help these kids come back to their home and Yiddishkeit. Please be part of the village it will take to help these children and their family.
The following Rabbonim have been aware of the situation for many years and are asking everyone to do their part:
Rabbi Gershon Bess
Rabbi Yitzchok Berkovits
Rabbi Asher Brander
Rabbi Yoel Burstyn
Rabbi Avrohom Czapnik
Rabbi Berish Goldenberg
Rabbi Shlomo Gottesman
Rabbi BY Gradon
Rabbi Dovid Revach
Rabbi Dovid Zargari
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