In her lifetime, Deanna Lipschutz studied hard. She attained a Masters Degree only a few years ago. She was a certified teacher of Autistic children. Her goals were lofty and her deeds were very noble. Sadly, on October 10th, 2010, while sitting at her computer and researching information on going even higher – how she could get her PhD, she suddenly passed away from an aneurysm. Today, her memory lives on in the many people’s lives she touched - Including the dear girls at the Home.

After the mourning period, her mother, Donna Guzman, a resident of Lake Placid, Florida, wanted to do something special to memorialize her dear daughter, who had just turned 41 the week before her passing. Dean, her brother and his mother went through Dede’s belongings. She had a beautiful collection of silver jewelry. Who could enjoy these necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings?

Lev La Lev was no stranger to Donna and Deanne. A few years ago, on the occasion of a friend’s wedding, mother and daughter surfed the net looking for a good cause where they could donate funds in honor of the newlyweds. They found our site and learned that we help girls not only in their young formative years, but we also take them to the chuppah ~ the wedding canopy. They read that LLL prepares a young woman’s trousseau, pays for her wedding, including the hall and catering. They even furnish the couple’s first apartment. Donna and Deanne decided to donate charity to the girls in Netanya to commemorate the wedding they were going to celebrate.

Donna Guzman told Lev LaLev that she had good emotional support after her daughter’s passing. She also volunteers at her local Good Shepherd Hospice.  Donna also mentioned that her fellow volunteers donated a leaf on the Tree of Life at the hospice to honor Dede. A few months ago, for her daughter’s first yahrtzeit – memorial date, Donna visited the hospice and noted that the leaf in Dede’s memory was right in the very center of the tree. Her happiness shined through over the phone as she told us, “Dede remains the center of attention”.

Born in Chicago, Donna Guzman spent 30 years living in Ft. Lauderdale, and 30 years prior, living in Philadelphia. She became reacquainted with Sergio Guzman, her husband, whom she knew when she was 15 as a military school student who came from Cuba to the U.S. to learn English.  Donna tells us that Sergio and Dede were great pals who spoke Spanish to one another. Dede’s father, Steven Lipschutz, still lives in Philadelphia.

Donna also tells LLL that she has been to Israel and had planned a trip with her daughter to travel together. She also reminisced about her children’s double simcha. Their Bar and Bat Mitzvah was celebrated at the same time as they were only 18 months apart. Donna added, “Though Dede was the younger she had gone to a private Hebrew school for several years and was almost fluent in the language.” Sadly, Donna and Deanna’s trip to Israel did not materialize. But, there is gratification in knowing that she and her son Dean, a father of four boys, and who has made the U.S. Army his career, decided to send his sister’s jewelry to Israel for the girls at the Home to wear and to enjoy. Other pieces of Deanna Lipschutz’s jewelry collection were divided among her good friends.

As our interview winds down, Donna Guzman says, “Passover brings back the memory of my daughter, Dede. She delivered a carload of Passover goodies to us from the bigger city where she lived, since not much is available in this little town."

We thank Donna Guzman for remembering the special girls at the Home and sending her daughter’s precious collection of beautiful hand crafted silver necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings to Netanya so that her daughter’s memory lives on in Israel ~ the country she wanted to visit so much.