|
Several years ago, a Chicago born U.S. Army
sergeant was reading Arutz Sheva news online and came across Lev LaLev's
banner. This is how Ken Mathews, who was raised in Dolton, Illinois
learned about the Rubin-Zeffren Children's Home in Netanya. Since that time, he
has been a friend and supporter of the often neglected, abused and abandoned
girls in Netanya.
Mr. Mathews was involved military in Intelligence
during his deployment from 2003-4 in Al Anbar Province in Western Iraq. This
territory in the Arabian Peninsula shares its borders with Syria, Jordan and
Saudia Arabia and includes the important cities we've all heard of in news
broadcasts, Fallujah and Haditha.
 A few years later, the sergeant spent 3 years
going back and forth to Kandahar and Helmand Provinces in Afghanistan,
where his mission was to locate and arrest insurgents and terrorists and keep
U.S. bases free from the threat of attacks.
 Between his years of enlistment in the Army and
his work as a defense contractor, Ken Mathews traveled to
many countries including several visits to Israel. Since he does not have a
family of his own, he says “It's nice to do something for someone else in
need.”
 Today, at age 43, it's “back-to-school” for the
former sergeant who is seeking a second career. He attends
college in Northern Virginia and says he struggles studying calculus, since he
needs this course to achieve his goal to be a systems engineer.
More about Ken Mathews:
 Besides hiking and jogging, and his interest in politics,
economics and engineering, Mr. Mathews enjoyed the one of the benefits of army
life, travel. He has visited many countries including the United Kingdom,
Korea, Japan, of course Iraq and Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait,
Israel and the Philippines.
Mr. Mathews was raised in Dolton, Illinois and is a graduate of
Thornton Township H.S.
 Lev LaLev gives a hearty “Todah Rabba M'Kol HaLev” - many thanks
from the heart, to Sergeant Ken Mathews, who not only spent so many years of
his life protecting our soldiers in such dangerous zones, but who has given so
much of himself to also protect and nurture the lives of so many girls in the
Home. He has and continues to support these special children who were left
alone, without parents to safeguard their childhood and prepare them for their
future. What a guy!
|
