Ken Germain is not yet retired, but he recently realized he wanted to devote more time to the Jewish community. World events also played a role. “When war broke out in Israel after the October 7, 2023 massacre, I felt a strong need to do even more for the Jewish People,” Ken said. “My wife, who had a more traditional Jewish background than I did, was very encouraging. Through the years, we have grown more observant, more attached to our Jewish homeland, and more motivated to contribute in whatever way we can. Ultimately, I was driven to do something to help older and/or isolated Jewish people.”
Soon after Ken’s realization, Jewish Family Service K’vod Connect Rabbi Yair Walton asked him to consider participating in the Shalom Corp Volunteer Program. This K’vod Connect initiative pairs active older adults with seniors who tend to be home-bound—providing them with companionship and support. Though Ken jumped at the chance, he suspected that developing relationships with aging, isolated people might be challenging.
Ken was pleasantly surprised when he found a true and easygoing friend in 94-year-old Len Mitzman. Ken saw that Len’s life was full of remarkable experiences that shaped who he is today. Len, in turn, sincerely appreciates Ken’s company and described him as “a wonderful gentleman.” The two also seem to share optimistic, young-at-heart philosophies toward life, which has only served to secure their bond.
“Len has had a fascinating life,” Ken said. “In his youth, he moved all over the country with his family, living in ten different cities before he turned 25. He had four kids with his wife but has been a widower for over two decades now. One of his sons is deeply religious and moved to Israel permanently, so Len has grandkids, great-grandkids, and great-great-grandkids who are Israeli. He has been an active member of the Boy Scouts [of America] for over 75 years. And he’s been active in the Masons as well. Len has traveled the world extensively, including a 115-day world cruise. He’s got a 2011 Buick LeSabre he still drives in the daytime, and Len has even invented a pair of bookends that convert into a menorah!”
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Len was five when his father’s work and subsequent education led the family to Angola, Indiana. It was the first of his many moves, but Len still remembers it clearly—especially the religious intolerance his family confronted there. “In those days, Indiana was a hotbed for the [Ku Klux] Klan,” Len said. “The governor of Indiana was the head Kleagle [recruitment officer] for the Klan. And the area we were in, even though it was a college town, had enough antisemitism going around for us to be aware of it, considering we were the only Jews in the county.”
Len’s father chose to respond to the prejudice his family faced by fostering inclusivity in his community. While studying at Tri-State University (now Trine University), he saw that none of the operating fraternities accepted foreigners, so he decided to form a non-denominational fraternity to include them. “My dad had people from all over the world as members of that fraternity,” Len said.
Len Mitzman has received many honors from the Masons and the Boy Scouts of America. Here, he poses with an award from each organization.
“Over 75 years of service to an organization like that speaks to an incredible passion, but his Jewish identity was important to him as well, so he stepped up to specifically promote Jewish scouting.”
—Ken Germain (reflecting on his friend, Len Mitzman)
Ken suggests Len’s character was built on moments like these when his father led by example. “Take the way Len chose to involve himself with the Boy Scouts,” Ken said. “Over 75 years of service to an organization like that speaks to an incredible passion, but his Jewish identity was important to him as well, so he stepped up to specifically promote Jewish scouting.”
Len did this, in part, by working on a special committee within the Boy Scouts. “We have an organization that’s referred to as the Jewish Committee on Scouting,” Len shared. “At one time, we used to hold conclaves instead of retreats, and we would coordinate with the student rabbis at HUC [Hebrew Union College] to give out our Ner Tamid [Eternal Light] awards. That Jewish Committee still exists today.”
Ken and Len have also bonded over travel, particularly their shared trips to China. “My wife and I have done a fair amount of travelling,” Ken said, “so Len and I have been able to talk about some of our common adventures and connect that way. We recently shared our China travel photos and scrapbooks,' Ken said. Len joked that his albums weren’t as fancy as Ken’s printed and hardbound versions, but that “they still get the job done.”
Ken explained how that trip to China came about, and why is was so important to Len. “His wife passed away on Christmas Day in 2001. And in 2005, he went to China, which sparked his love of travel,” he said.
Len confirmed that the China experience turned him into a travel bug. “In 2007, I went around the world on a ship in and out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was a Holland American cruise ship. I thought it was wonderful. It was back when they were still going up through the Red Sea and through the Mediterranean. Those have all been eliminated now because of the piracy and everything else. We had a rabbi on board the ship and he held services every Friday night and we literally went through the Red Sea during Passover.”
Whether it’s because of, or in spite of, the fact that Len moved around so much in his youth, once he settled down, he really settled down. “I've been in this house for 67 years,” he said. “One of the reasons I bought it was the location; it was right around the block from the synagogue that I attend.” Now that he is 94, however, Len is rarely able to join the congregation. “I only go to the synagogue about three times a year,” he said.
According to Rabbi Walton, this is precisely why K’vod Connect was created. “There are so many people who want to be part of the Jewish community and be connected,” he said. “And they deserve to be connected. They’re really a huge resource for our community. What I find so rewarding about this work is empowering these people to live full Jewish lives, flourishing Jewish lives, even with the challenges that they might be facing.”
In the end, Ken and Len’s relationship exemplifies how volunteering can turn into much more—a genuine friendship that enriches both of their lives. Ken reflected, “It's truly a two-way street. I’m getting as much out of this as Len is.”
And Len, with a smile, agreed, “Without the K’vod Connect program and people like Ken, my life would be much quieter.”