On Sunday night, January 4, the main shul of Young Israel of West Hempstead filled with community members gathering for the third annual memorial shiur in memory of Toby Geschwind a”h, presented by Chazaq and the Clara Klein Adult Education Committee.
The program opened with heartfelt remarks by Robbie Aboff, Chazaq’s Operations Manager and Toby’s grandson. Robbie expressed deep gratitude to Young Israel and its leadership for serving as a true home of Torah, warmth, and community—a place that had meant so much to his grandmother and to so many families in attendance.
In a particularly moving moment, Robbie acknowledged his grandfather, Charles Geschwind, who was watching this year’s program live on Zoom. Robbie shared that hundreds of people around the country were thinking of him, davening for him, and taking upon themselves acts of kindness in his merit, with the hope that next year he would once again be seated in his familiar spot in the front row.
Robbie then reflected on Chazaq, the organization so close to his grandmother’s heart—an organization that has helped transition more than 2,000 students from public school to yeshivah, operates over 20 educational and enrichment programs, and brings Torah, connection, and opportunity to Jews of every background.
To capture who his grandmother truly was, Robbie shared a simple yet powerful mashal: the number zero has no value on its own, but when placed beside something meaningful, it multiplies its worth. Toby Geschwind lived that lesson daily. Ordinary actions—walking with neighbors, chatting, bringing flowers or wine, welcoming newcomers—became extraordinary because she infused them with intention and purpose.
She exercised not merely for health, but to include others. She socialized not to pass time, but to connect people. She spoke not to fill space, but to help singles meet, families grow, and neighbors feel they belonged. Her kindness elevated the ordinary and transformed it into something lasting.
Next, Rabbi Josh Goller, mara d’asra of Young Israel of West Hempstead, spoke. Having known Toby Geschwind for over two decades, Rabbi Goller spoke not only as a longtime family friend, but as the spiritual leader of the very kahila she cherished. Quoting the teaching of Rav Matisyahu Salomon zt”l, he described those rare individuals who teach not through instruction, but through or panim—the glow of a radiant face. Toby possessed that glow.
She did not tell people what to do; she made them want to do better simply by how she lived. Her smile invited goodness. Her presence inspired action. Her life quietly taught Torah without words.
The keynote speaker, Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser framed true leadership not as influence over crowds, but as responsibility for the individual. Citing Moshe Rabbeinu running after a single lost sheep, he explained that when even one soul is overlooked, the entire flock is diminished. He pointed to Avraham Avinu’s hospitality as the highest expression of greatness—not miracles, but making space for others.
He noted that Toby’s instinctive care for others began early in life, shaping a lifetime of responsibility, warmth, and quiet leadership. Acts of kindness, he explained, do not appear suddenly; they are cultivated over time, becoming part of one’s very nature.
Through a series of deeply moving narratives, Rabbi Goldwasser underscored a central truth: we never know the impact of what we do for another person. A word, a pause, a gesture, or a moment of empathy may alter a life—including our own.
In remembering Toby Geschwind a”h, the community was reminded that kindness does not end with memory, but multiplies through action.
The program was sponsored by the Aboff, Geschwind, and Perkelvald families.
