A Bar Mitzvah Boy’s Act of Kindness Inspires a New Community Transportation Initiative

In the fall of 2023, Matan Jordan Newcomb was preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. As part of his Bar Mitzvah Tikkun Olam (“repair the world”) project Matan performed the Jewish mitzvot of visiting the sick and honoring our elders by making weekly visits to his good friend and teacher, Rabbi Ephraim Eisen, the former Rabbi of Temple Israel in Greenfield who was then a resident of the Leavitt Family Jewish Home. For Matan these visits meant so much more than fulfilling his Bar Mitzvah requirement. He wanted to visit his teacher and support him during his time of need.

During these visits Matan and Rabbi Eisen played chess and discussed Matan’s Torah portion, Bereshit, the first weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading that talks about Creation. They focused some of their attention on the growing of trees; trees are often seen as a metaphor for our ancestors, and all they bestow upon us. Matan wanted to reverse the story and make it about what he could do to give back to Rabbi Eisen.

It was important to Matan that Rabbi Eisen attend his Bar Mitzvah in Greenfield, but the cost of hiring transportation and a personal caretaker proved to be prohibitive. While Medicare and Medicaid will pay for transportation to medical appointments, these government reimbursement programs do not reimburse non-medical transportation services, leaving those who lack the financial means unable to attend non-medical events, like a B’nai Mitzvot. Participating in community events is important to keep residents engaged and help them thrive.

Matan recognized this as a gap in care and he felt that other nursing home residents might also be affected. He imagined others may be missing out on attending special family occasions, holidays, weddings, B’nai Mitzvot, or community social events that might be important to them. Rabbi Eisen’s situation became the inspiration for creating a new fund and transportation service at JGS Lifecare to address this gap in services.

With a gift from his Bar Mitzvah money, Matan made the first donation to establish the new Matan Newcomb Community Connections Transportation Fund at the Leavitt Family Jewish Home. This fund will help ensure that residents can stay connected to the people and the places that matter most to them by helping to provide transportation services and underwriting some or all of the costs.

Residents can request support from this fund by contacting our transportation coordinator, Cheryl Gumlaw, at cgumlaw@jgslifecare.org or 413-567-3949, ext. 3521. As more funds become available, subsidies will be awarded to residents with demonstrated financial need. Residents with limited mobility or those who lack access to alternative transportation options will be a priority.

With community support Rabbi Eisen was able to attend Matan’s Bar Mitzvah. Reconnecting to the people in his congregation meant so much to him.

Matan is hopeful that his action will inspire others to support our elders, “our trees”, and this new transportation fund, and in fact they have. When hearing Matan’s story, Regina Turner was inspired by this young man’s thoughtfulness and action, and directed her tributary donation to the new Matan Newcomb Community Connections Transportation Fund, in memory of her beloved brother, Elliet Aronson, a past president of the Leavitt Family Jewish Home. We hope that others will be inspired to do the same!

If you are interested in donating to the Matan Newcomb Community Connections Transportation Fund contact the Development Department at shalpern@jgslifecare.org or 413-567-3949, ext. 3533 or go online and make your donation at https://jgslifecare.org/ways-to-give/one-time-donation/ and select the Matan Newcomb Transportation Fund.