The following are actual cases:
Chaim, a devoted teacher, was just days away from his daughter’s wedding when unexpected expenses threatened to overshadow the joyous occasion.
Hours before Yom Tov, another educator, Yosef Dov, was still short one thousand dollars on his imminent mortgage payment.
Menachem, yet another dedicated mechanech was on the verge of losing the opportunity to purchase his first home because he lacked the down payment.
During the last year alone, these teachers—and many others—have experienced the relief intended by the Rebbe, as nearly $200,000 in short-term loans was facilitated by Keren Levi Yitzchak. These interest-free loans, quietly and respectfully, enable educators to celebrate milestones, meet urgent needs, and continue their sacred mission of educating the future of the Jewish people without disruption.
Sixty-one years ago, in 1964, on the occasion of his father’s 20th yahrzeit-hilula, the Rebbe established a charitable fund in his father’s name—Keren Levi Yitzchak—to provide free loans for Yeshiva teachers. Over time, the fund’s mission expanded to address additional financial needs within the educational community.
The Rebbe launched this fund with a generous $5,000 donation (equivalent to approximately $50,000 today) which he received from a teacher who had unexpectedly received this sum as back pay. The Rebbe deeply treasured this gesture by “a righteous woman,” publicly recognizing her wholehearted commitment, as she gave the donation without seeking any publicity or recognition despite being a mother of a large family and living on modest means.
From its inception, the Rebbe himself would make an annual personal appeal, encouraging all who wished to honor his father’s memory to contribute to this special fund.
“The Rebbe’s secretary, Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, who has been involved in the day-to-day handling of the fund’s disbursements since its inception, remarked that the Rebbe’s remarkable enthusiasm for this personal tribute to his father speaks volumes about the importance of participating in this magbis.”
Join Keren Levi Yitzchak as it continues to carry out this sacred mission, providing financial support to educators in loving memory of the Rebbe’s saintly father.
In a heartfelt letter of Motzoei Tisha B’Av 5744 (1984), the Rebbe writes:
“…It is my obligation and great zechus to suggest and request that everyone should study from his teachings and donate to charity in his memory on this day, in the memory of his soul.”
Today, Keren Levi Yitzchak continues this sacred mission, providing vital financial support to educators and families in need—upholding the Rebbe’s vision and honoring his father’s legacy.
👉 Donate to Keren Levi Yitzchak in memory of Reb Levik.
📖 Download a study guide to learn Torah in his honor.
🎥 Watch the historic video of the Rebbe establishing the Keren in 1964.
✍️ Apply for a loan if you are a teacher in need of assistance.
