Our parents and other family members, even those no longer with us, live on in our memories. This past June, Teaneck resident Karen Orgen, 49, marked her father’s 11th yahrzeit, but his larger-than-life presence was still at the forefront of her mind, as was the kidney she hoped to donate to him, that she had hoped would lengthen his life. Last Thursday, in her father’s merit, she donated that kidney to a 61-year-old Jewish man from California.  

David Lew, a labor lawyer who died in 2005 at the age of 64, was a force to be reckoned with; he was an active, beloved member of the Teaneck Jewish community. He was a founder, with his wife Harriet, of Congregation B’nai Yeshurun and the Teaneck Mikvah Association. He sat on the Teaneck Town Council, and was, at various times, a president of Congregation B’nai Yeshurun, The Moriah School and Torah Academy of Bergen County. “He died too young. There was a lot that he could have done,” Karen told The Jewish Link. Harriet still lives in the same house on Dickerson Road, where they moved when Karen was 7, more than 40 years ago. 

David lived a life filled with purpose and love for his family and community. But health issues got in the way. “He was a diabetic, and didn’t take care of himself. He was on dialysis for a couple of years before he died. Anything that went along with diabetes, he had as a complication,” said Karen, a pharmacist at CVS over 20 years. She described dialysis as a stop-gap measure. “It really drains you; you can’t do it long term,” she added.

When it was determined he needed a kidney, Karen went to the city with her father to get tested to donate her kidney to him; she was a match. However, at the time, Karen’s first daughter was a baby and she was going to have a second. For various reasons, other family members were either not matches or could not donate. Even if there was a delay, she was the best option. “When I was done having children I was to let the hospital know.”

Though Karen had had her second child and was ready, her father was not medically cleared for surgery due to a wound on his foot. Once he was cleared, just after her daughter’s first birthday, “I called the hospital, but that week, before anything could happen, he had a heart attack and died,” she said.

Time passed; Karen and her husband, Eric, whom she met while serving on the Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps (TVAC) where he still serves, continued to enjoy and give back to Teaneck, surrounded by friends. They are active members of Congregation Shaare Tefillah, led by Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz. Older daughter Allie is now a freshman at Frisch; her sister Jamie is in 7th grade at Ben Porat Yosef, where Karen and Eric were active parents, and Eric served on the board.

But Karen’s “extra” kidney stayed in her consciousness. Then, in late 2014, the Jewish organization Renewal started advertising and holding events in the community, particularly as a result of community member Donny Hain’s family’s public search for a kidney donor. “My husband is also a big fan of Rabbi Simon,” said Karen, referring to Teaneck Chabad’s Rabbi Ephraim Simon, who donated a kidney to a stranger in 2009 and speaks often about his experience in glowing terms. “My only regret is I can’t donate my kidney a second time,” he told The Jewish Link in 2014.

Renewal, the Jewish organization based in Brooklyn, was established in 2006 and has facilitated more than 350 kidney transplants for both Jews and non-Jews. It pays for any expenses the donor might incur during or after their donation, including lost wages. The organization has only been holding events and doing outreach with the Teaneck community for approximately two years, but in that time, Renewal has facilitated six kidney donations from Teaneck-area residents. Four recipients have also come from the community. 

Amazingly, today, about one in five altruistic kidney donations in the United States is facilitated by Renewal. “Last year, we were responsible for between 60 and 70 percent of all altruistic kidney donations in New York state, where all the Teaneck residents either gave or received kidneys,” said Rabbi Josh Sturm, Renewal’s director of outreach.

There are still, however, 315 people on Renewal’s waiting list.

“I always said one day I was going to give it. Around my father’s 10th yahrzeit I called Renewal,” Karen said.

“It was slow at first but then they found someone at Montefiore who was a match. I spent three  full days there, doing nuclear scans and CAT scans. Without taking my insurance card out of my wallet, the good news is I know for sure there is nothing festering in my body,” she joked. 

Unfortunately, that patient was ruled out of receiving Karen’s kidney. But then, Cornell called. They had found another match for her; a man in his early 60s from California.

“I went in for one day to meet the team and to do pre-admission testing, and that was it,” she said. 

Karen arrived at Weill-Cornell Medical Center last Thursday morning. She checked out on Motzei Shabbat. She described a surreal yet calm experience and a particularly positive experience meeting Renewal’s staff. “They put me in a room like a hotel room, and Renewal just kept coming with stuff. One of those fancy white bathrobes, food, and people kept visiting,” she said. Karen described having pain the first night and day after surgery, but by Shabbat morning she was not attached to any catheters. She said the staff would have discharged her Saturday morning, but they let her stay until after Shabbat. Before speaking with The Jewish Link on Monday morning, she had just completed a 1-mile walk. “I didn’t expect to be dancing, but they encourage you to get moving right away. It helps with the healing process,” she said.

Karen’s friends, including Mark Schwartz, a Teaneck councilman who is also co-publisher of The Jewish Link, described his thoughts on Karen’s reasons for donating her kidney. “I first met Dave Lew, a former Teaneck councilman, when I was a student at TABC and he was the president. His model of community service is one that I, to this day, still look up to and strive to achieve. He instilled this in his daughter (and son-in-law) in many ways, but this newest selfless act has taken that to new heights.”

Would Karen recommend that others donate a kidney? “I don’t know that it’s for everyone. But if it’s in your capacity to do, you can really help someone,” she said.

Learn more at http://www.life-renewal.org or call 718-431-9831.

By Elizabeth Kratz