Wayne YMCA keeps Jewish soul

Larry Lev has been a Y professional for 40 years.

It’s a career that has taken him across the country and around the world – including to Israel. For two years, he was youth and camp director at the YMCA in Jerusalem.

“One of the things that was truly apparent to me when I lived in Israel was that the Y was the beacon of welcoming people of all faiths and all backgrounds,” Lev said. “It would not be unusual to see Jews, Muslims, and Christians playing on the basketball court together or swimming together. Whatever was happening in the country or different parts of the city, the Y seemed to be the place that could bring people together.

“I see that here as well, as we have brought the Y mission together with the YMHA, to just bring people together. Everybody wants to be healthy. Especially if you look at the health and wellness part of the Y, there’s nothing religious about that. As I look at things I’ve seen around the world – I also had a short stint setting up a camping program in Athens – people are people.”

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Meet Larry Lev

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