A different Purim Torah

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By The Jewish Star Staff

Issue of February 26, 2010
A Kensington, Brooklyn couple who lost their son last year is putting a new spin on the concept of Purim learning.

“Purim is not very structured for a teenager,” related Itzy Eckstein.

He and his wife, Chanie, have organized donors to pay $250 to yeshiva boys who are willing to learn on Purim night; the money will be donated to the charity of the boy’s choice. The program was started last year.

“The economy was very weak and a few nice people got together to sponsor boys. So instead of going around collecting from people who can’t give, they said, ‘we’ll pay you what you want to sit and learn,’” Eckstein explained.

Eckstein’s son, Shaya Dov, who passed away in a car accident in July, was part of the program.

“He was so happy when he came home, it was so meaningful,” Eckstein recalled. “I’m not exaggerating when I say his face was shining.”

In his son’s memory Eckstein expanded the program from sponsoring 25 boys to 80 and he still hopes to add more sponsors.

“These boys are going to be sittng in the beis meidrash for the z’chus (merit) of whoever is sponsoring and they’ll get paid for a charity. They get a double z’chus, and the money goes to tzedaka, and the boy gets to learn,” Eckstein explained.

He hopes to get more yeshivas involved next year and increase the program’s size.

“It’s a revolutionary, healthy way for everyone to be happy,” Eckstein said. “The [boys] will wake up in the morning without a headache.”

For more information check out the website.