June’s Mitzvah Project

In the fall of 2022, my family and I learned that a beloved dad in our community had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. 

The news made me very sad.

In addition to being a husband and dad of four kids, Jeff was super involved in my community for as long as I can remember. Among all the ways he volunteered his time, Jeff was the organizer for a big annual race to raise money for my elementary school’s PTA, and the team rep and official problem-solver for our town’s swim team. The Somerset Dolphins is one of the things I love the most.

In 2020, when our season was cancelled, Jeff found ways for us to come together as a team. And in 2021, he literally saved our season by finding pools in other towns for us to practice in when our pool unexpectedly shut down. He even helped organize carpools for us to get there.

When Jeff was diagnosed with cancer, our community rallied to show our love and support for Jeff and his family. In the picture above, kids and parents from our town are surrounding him wearing our “Team Jeff” t-shirts. Jeff is seated in the front; I am standing in the second row, third from right.

Sadly, Jeff passed away in February of this year, leaving an unfillable hole in our heartbroken community. 

As part of my bat mitzvah project, I’m asking my family and friends to help me honor Jeff’s memory by making a donation to Let’s Win Pancreatic Cancer, an organization that supports patients and families affected by pancreatic cancer by helping them get and share information about research and treatments.