Louis Zweig
Dallas, Texas
How is your Hero working to make the world a better place?
Beyond addressing the challenge of his own family situation, Louis worked to focus our entire community on the nature and prevalence of special needs. Louis and his wife took on a mission to educate greater Dallas about the importance and responsibility of a community to be fully responsive to the needs of everyone, including persons with special needs and their families in all aspect of community life --education, religious participation and social activity. Working with some existing community resources, they focused their efforts on training community professionals, educating families and local leadership, providing support to families with children with special needs and underwriting select services that assist children in reaching their fullest potential academically, behaviorally and socially. Initially he reached out to his personal and professional network, creating a foundation, the Gladys Golman/Faye Dallen Education Fund, to raise funds to achieve these aforementioned goals. Additionally he helped convene and chair an on-going community organizing effort that brings together synagogues, schools and communal organizations to focus together on all aspects of creating opportunities for inclusion. Highlights of these activities include: annual family resource day, speech and language resources in local schools, inclusive community events, family support activities and community education workshops. There is no doubt that the lives of hundreds of children and their families have been touched and the fabric of the community continues to positively change.
How has your Hero impacted your life and inspired you?
Using humor, respect and determination, Louis has taught us all that when we focus our efforts on the entire community, rather than only our personal needs, the entire community responds. Using his business acumen and his strategic planning skills he created momentum for change and added validity to the purpose. He inspired many: Rabbis and teachers; parents and children; family members and family friends; everyone knows someone who benefits from the creation of the Gladys Golman/Faye Dallen Education Fund. Tikkun olam and yesh m'ayin; repairing the world by creating something from nothing.