Barbara Meister
Ventura, California
How is your Hero working to make the world a better place?
As a former teacher, Barbara Meister knows the value of each child's life and their potential for greatness if given the chance. As a small community struggling to keep our children Jewish, the community's children strong and the troubled children healed Barbara is truely a Hero. From Israel Scholarships, to facilitating trips to the Museum of Tolerance for over 65,000 8Th graders to fight the temptation of gang life, to her work at Casa Pacifica, a residential facility for troubled youth, Barbara's support, leadership and vision has encouraged and saved so many of our children. We owe her so much.
How has your Hero impacted your life and inspired you?
My life, my community, would never be as rich and fulfilling as it is without Barbara. Small communities across the country need the help, encouragement and visionary leadership that makes surviving without resources possible. Her caring hands and her loving generous heart has created a safe haven for those troubled youth that society would have thrown away. She embodies all the beautiful attributes of an Ashet Chayel for today, changing our lives forever.