Bais Nochum is a non-profit organization founded by the late Rabbi Mendel and Mira Labkowsky with the goal of promoting Jewish awareness and involvement in the Los Angeles Jewish community. Rabbi Mendel was born in Brunoy, France and was known for his exceptional intelligence and dedication to Torah study. He was highly respected and loved by the French expatriate community in Los Angeles for his wisdom and compassionate nature. Mira Labkowsky, also known as "Morah Mira," was a talented and patient teacher who dedicated her life to her pre-school students. She had a gift for understanding and relating to young children, and was beloved by people of all ages in LA for her kind and caring personality, as well as her good sense of humor and fun-loving nature.

In 1980, Rabbi Mendel and Mira were married and later sent by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to Los Angeles to serve as emissaries. In addition to their outreach programs and personal counseling services, the Labkowskys also organized holiday events and classes for the community. These events included parties for Chanukah and Purim, a Women's circle that met before all major Jewish holidays, and year-round classes on various topics related to Judaism. They also established a tzedaka (charity) fund to discreetly provide financial assistance to needy families in the community.

After the passing of Rabbi Mendel and Mira Labkowsky, their children - Laizer and his wife Luba, Nochum and his wife Chaya, Zalmy and his wife Etty, - have continued and expanded the work of Bais Nochum. Building on the foundation laid by their parents, they have implemented new programs and initiatives to meet the changing needs of the community. They have also continued the tradition of offering holiday events and classes, and have established a gmach, or charitable organization, in their memory called Gmach Ram. This gmach offers zero-interest loans to those in need of financial assistance, providing a "hand up" rather than a "handout." The Labkowsky family has worked hard to continue the important work of Bais Nochum and to honor the memory of Rabbi Mendel and Mira Labkowsky. They hope to make a positive impact in the Los Angeles Jewish community and to assist those in need, just as their parents did before them.

 

Our Staff

  • Rabbi Laizer and Luba Labkowsky
  • Rabbi Nochum and Chaya Labkowsky
  • Rabbi Zalmy and Etty Labkowsky