Healing Together: Steinsapir Family Donates Therapeutic Petting Zoo in Memory of Molly
How do you create a permanent memorial for an incredible twelve-year-old girl whose wonderful life was suddenly cut short?
It takes intelligent, forward-thinking parents who adored their daughter, and who understood, and valued her amazing qualities. Add in a love of Israel and the Jewish people and you understand why the new therapeutic petting zoo at the ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran rehabilitative complex is so special.
Twelve-year-old Molly Steinsapir had a unique personality, a great smile, a keen mind, excellent social skills, and an abundance of love. She was beloved by teachers and friends and possessed a valiant spirit and lots of grit. Strong beliefs took shape in her mind as a young child. At age four, she already declared that she wanted to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle since her love of animals meant that she didn’t want to consume G-d’s creatures. Like our forefather Jacob, she was deeply connected to Judaism, and wrestled with G-d. She had a deep-rooted desire to understand the Torah and Jewish values. Molly rallied against unfairness of any kind, was an advocate for women’s full participation in Jewish and secular life, and pursued justice for all.
It is a beautiful testament to Molly’s indomitable spirit that the Jewish pre-school she attended in Santa Monica, Kehillat Yisrael, where four-year-old Molly was known as “the rabbi of the group” was recently renamed in her memory at the initiative of the administration and board of directors of the school.
Molly loved words, and an inspiring animation entitled “Where I’m From” was created by friends of the family, based on a poem Molly had written for a school assignment. In the animation of her poem, we learn that Molly is “from” her bookshelf, her garden where flowers and strawberries grow, from Jon and Kaye (her parents), from “get off your phone” and from Shabbat Shalom! She is from America and from Israel, and also from an orange plastic bin in her garage that contains warm, happy memories of her younger brothers Nate and Eli and of all the people she loves. In her twelve years, it is clear that Molly lived a full and deep inner life.
After Molly’s passing, Jonathan and Kaye Steinsapir searched for a fitting memorial for their precious daughter that mirrored her values and theirs. With the help of Jewish National Fund-USA, they learned about ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran, a unique rehabilitation village in southern Israel that serves children and adults with disabilities and complex medical conditions. A JNF-USA affiliate, ADI Negev offers both long-term and outpatient rehabilitation that helps people with a wide range of needs to live rich, full lives while receiving incredible care, regardless of their ability to pay. Molly’s therapeutic petting zoo at ADI Negev, established by the Steinsapir family with the support of friends around the world, will bring happiness to so many while providing a therapeutic framework for growth and healing. The project reflects Molly’s profound love for animals and her identification with God’s living creatures, following in the footsteps of her great grandfather who was an outstanding veterinarian.
ADI Negev is built upon the values of love, giving, caring, respect and protection of the vulnerable. It represents happiness and fairness, responsibility and professionalism, commitment and cooperation with the staff and the greater community—all ideals deeply appreciated by the Steinsapirs. To continue this invaluable work, the family has established the Molly Steinsapir Foundation to support projects dear to Molly’s heart like caring for children, animals, and the planet. Recently, the foundation provided a fun-filled day for hundreds of foster youth at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, including a gift bag of treats and a #TEAMMOLLY t-shirt for every child. In September, the foster youth were provided with brand new school supplies to launch the school year, followed by a carload of new toys for the holidays. To revive the gardens at Marquez Charter Elementary that withered during the pandemic, the foundation donated new plants, soil and fertilizer. The latest project is hundreds of #TEAMMOLLY sweatshirts for homeless citizens of Los Angeles. The Foundations’ website is https://mollysteinsapir.com for further information and a short film about Molly.
Before the pandemic, at Jonathan Steinsapir’s law firm’s holiday party in 2019, there was a drawing for a prize of a trip for two to anywhere in the world. At the time, Molly said, “we’re going to win that prize.” And they did! The family planned a trip to Israel, but the restrictions of the pandemic got in the way and the trip had to be postponed. Now the family will be going to Israel, and in the spiritual sense, Molly will be with them. On this trip they will be dedicating the ADI Negev therapeutic petting zoo in her memory. How we all wish that Molly were with them in the ordinary and traditional sense, enjoying the sights, history, and people of Israel that she yearned to explore. With the dedication of the petting zoo, the family will be establishing a lasting memory to Molly and to what she valued most. Though bittersweet, it is an inspirational and fitting dedication to so much that Molly and her family hold dear, one that will truly serve the special needs population in the Jewish homeland.
