Letter Revealed During Shiva: One-Armed Philanthropist Wrote to Teen Who Lost His Hand Before Bar Mitzvah
During the shiva of renowned Torah philanthropist Rabbi Zev “Willy” Stern of Brazil, the family revealed an extraordinary personal letter he once wrote to a young boy who, like Rabbi Stern himself, had lost a hand just before reaching bar mitzvah age.
The letter, shared with the family’s permission, was sent years ago by Rabbi Stern, who lost his own hand in his youth, to a boy who had recently lost his left hand. In it, Stern offered a deeply moving message drawn from his own life experience.
In the letter, Rabbi Stern described how his physical limitation became a driving force rather than an obstacle—something that pushed him forward, motivated him to act, and never give up on life.
He wrote that he chose not to allow his disability to define him, and that once those around him saw this, they related to him accordingly—as a regular person. From that mindset, he explained, he was able to build a full and meaningful life: establishing a home, marrying a woman who did not view his disability as a barrier, and sustaining a loving marriage and family life for decades.
Rabbi Stern went on to recount his broad personal and public accomplishments over the years, including Torah study, professional work, building and managing a successful business, public service, and extensive support for Jewish causes. He noted his merit in helping bring numerous Artscroll / Mesorah Publications books to print, as well as his many years of involvement with the Efrat organization, through which he helped save thousands of children.
A central theme of the letter runs quietly but consistently throughout: a physical disability does not prevent a person from living a full life. Rabbi Stern described how he continued to engage in physical activity, to love, to create, and to contribute—never allowing the loss of his hand to dictate the boundaries of his life.
He concluded the letter with a direct and deeply empathetic message to the young boy, expressing faith in his abilities, encouraging him to trust himself, and assuring him that a full, meaningful, and good life lay ahead. He blessed the boy to grow in Torah and mitzvos, to bring pride and joy to his family, and to succeed in all his endeavors.
Rabbi Stern was one of the central figures of the Jewish community in São Paulo, Brazil. A veteran businessman, he devoted decades of his life to strengthening the Torah world, saving lives, and advancing Jewish initiatives in Israel and around the world. Despite the scope of his activity, he consistently avoided public attention, viewing the work itself as his true mission.
Alongside his business pursuits, Stern dedicated significant time and resources to public philanthropy. He was a long-standing supporter of the Efrat organization in Israel, which assists pregnant women and saves thousands of children each year. Those close to him say he viewed this work as a true calling and pursued it with daily devotion. He was also regarded as one of the leading supporters of the Torah world, a role his son, Rabbi Yaakov Stern, continues today with even greater intensity.
The letter he sent to the boy ahead of his bar mitzvah—now revealed by the family during the days of mourning—perhaps captures Rabbi Stern’s essence more than anything else: a man who lived with challenge, yet chose to transform it into a language of strength, encouragement, and hope for others. It was not a letter of consolation, but of shared destiny, quietly conveying the message that it is possible to grow, to build, and to live a life of meaning even through hardship.
This is how Rabbi Willy Stern will be remembered: a man who believed in the power of will, the power of kindness, the power of Torah, and the power of a timely, well-chosen word.
{Matzav.com}
