The shivah is
over for
Hannah was inculcated with the
important values of Yiddishkeit
and chesed by her parents. Her father, Rabbi Abraham P. Hirmes, studied
in Slabodka yeshiva and Yeshivas Yitzchak Elchonon. Her mother, Frieda K.
Hirmes, was a prominent speaker and poetess. Hannah, one of four children, was
born in
In 1954, Hannah married M. Leo
Storch, a”h. Leo was
A Devastating Blow
Leo Storch was a very charming and successful attorney, real
estate developer, business genius, and philanthropist. He was a true visionary
who wisely bought what would become valuable properties in the future. Unfortunately,
he was niftar at a very young age, and after his untimely passing in
1972, Hannah, his wife of 18 years, became a single mother of three
children. Yet she seamlessly stepped into the role of running the business. With
the help of her loyal, trusted, and knowledgeable brother, Mr. Eli Hirmes, she
not only maintained the M. Leo Storch Management Company but took it to greater
heights. Mr. Hirmes would come to town, originally weekly and later bimonthly,
commuting from
At the same time, Hannah continued
in her beloved husband’s path of community service. Although she never drove a car, she was the driving force of chesed
in the community. She also raised her family to follow in her and her husband’s
footsteps and to make chesed the priority in their lives.
The Go-To Couple
Classy and gracious, Hannah and Leo were true royalty. They
were the “go-to” couple for the poor and needy, and their home on Bancroft was
a bastion of chesed and hachnasas orchim. As Greta Hirmes,
Hannah’s sister-in-law, said, “Hannah was dedicated and devoted to chesed and helping all without ever
seeking recognition. She continued to do philanthropy work in the same manner
as her dear husband Leo. She did it with the grace and modesty of a queen.”
Hannah was not materialistic or
grandiose in any way; her home was elegant but simple. She was dignified and
classy, and it showed in her dress and refined appearance. But she was more
concerned with the dress of the poor and needy. Every winter she would arrange
with Rabbi Boruch Brull of Ahavas Yisrael to buy winter coats, gloves, and
scarves making sure all the children in the community were dressed warmly.
Working with Ahavas Yisrael, she would call me regularly to lend money to
struggling individuals and couples. In most cases, she knew the loans would not
be repaid, but she continued to contribute money generously and without
reservation. To maintain the recipient’s dignity, she called them loans but in
truth they were gifts.
Communal
Responsibility
The Storch name was associated worldwide with tzedaka
and incredible acts of chesed. In the book I authored, My Shtetl Baltimore, I discuss Leo
Storch and his accomplishments in the chapter entitled “The Baltimore Prince.”
The book also includes a moving article, “In Tribute to a Jewish Nobleman,”
written by Rabbi Reuven Savitz shortly after Mr. Storch’s passing.
The Storches were the main force behind,
and contributors to, the purchase of the 48-acre campus for Bais Yaakov on
Communal work was in the Storch
and Hirmes families. Both Leo and his older brother, Borough “Buddy” Storch, married
women who were tremendous benefactors of the
Broad Public Service
and Kiruv
Boruch “Bruce” Levine is the Director of Commercial Real
Estate of M. Leo Storch Management Corporation. He worked closely with Hannah
for over 28 years and had the opportunity not only to discuss business with
Hannah but also to observe her. He witnessed the concern she had for klal Yisrael
each and every day – concern for everything from the smallest and simplest needs
of individuals and families to the largest needs of community institutions. “She
was there for all,” said Baruch, “and would even shed tears for the plight of
those in need and would give generously to relieve their challenges.”
One significant action Hannah took
in her life was when she became the first Orthodox woman to be involved in the
leadership of
Hannah’s involvement in kiruv
was substantial as well. She was one of the earliest supporters of NCSY and
assisted the organization for many decades. And when two kollel
families, the Druckers and Gibbers, approached her requesting seed money to
establish a new kiruv organization in town, Etz Chaim, she did so generously.
She also helped establish the kiruv organization Jews for Judaism, which
touched the lives of thousands of unaffiliated Jews.
An Open Home
While many meshulachim and fundraisers visited the
corporate offices, the Storch home was open to all after work hours, too,
especially to the multitude of meshulachim who visited daily and
nightly. They sat before Leo in his beautiful home office and benefited from
the tzedaka that passed over his desk. His office left such an
impression on me as a child that when I furnished my office 40 years later, I
furnished it in the same dignified style.
I can only imagine how many
critical parlor meetings took place in the Storch’s spacious formal living room
at 3415 Bancroft Road, how many key community meetings took place around their
large, stately dining room table. And who can forget the wonderful visit in
1968 by Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l? This
memorable event included the community welcoming the gadol hador at the
train station. The Storches warmly hosted him for four days. Who could forget
all the other visits from talmidei chachamim, such as the Ponevhezer
Rav, Rabbi Kahaneman, zt”l, Rav Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, and the Skulener Rebbe, zt”l?
My Relationship with
Leo and Hannah
Leo was a mentor to all, and especially to me. As a
teenager, I admired him greatly and hoped to one day grow up to be a Leo
Storch. Our families were very close and always sat together at Bais Yaakov
banquets. And I owe to them the greatest event of my life. The Storches made
many very important phone calls in their lives, but one in particular changed
my life. Hannah was asked by her niece, Linda Storch, to call me and see if I
would take her sister Ronnie on a date. That call from Hannah led to a date and
eventually marriage. Ronnie and I have now been married for over 47 years, b”H.
The Three Storch
Children
Leo and Hannah’s house on
Judy recalled that what was unique
about her mother was that she had tremendous
hakaras hatov (appreciation). “If someone did something for her, big
or small, my mother would send a gift to show her gratitude.” If someone blew shofar
or read the Megillah for
her, she chose specific gifts, often from Pern’s bookstore. Miriam Robbins, the
owner, was always impressed by how much thought Hannah would put into choosing
the proper gift for each individual. Her list of Purim shalach manos
from Bais Yaakov for community members was extensive.
Some time after Binyamin’s petirah,
Judy remarried another wonderful community-minded individual, Yaakov Hillel
“Jack” Gross. He is a consultant and is also president of Bais Torah in
During the shivah, Mindy
Spetner, talked about her mother’s special manner of never having or saying a
bad word about anyone. “She never spoke lashon hara. She always gave
others the benefit of the doubt.” Mindy also mentioned that if someone shared
something with her mother it remained in total confidence. Hannah held
confidence as a priority in any relationship.
Mindy’s husband, Shlomo Spetner,
followed in his father-in-law’s footsteps as president of Bais Yaakov, after Rabbi
Ari Neuberger, a”h, who served as
president for many years. Shlomo is also a leader in the community, serving the
klal in many ways. He was a board member of Bikur Cholim and heads
Talmudical Academy’s Vaad Hachinuch. Mindy is the founder and a major force in
the seminary Ma’alot (Women’s
Frank, the youngest of the three
children, is the founder and director of The Chesed Fund and Project Ezra of
Greater Baltimore. With the support of his wife, Danielle Sarah, the
organizations have helped the community in countless ways. From safety
initiatives, such as bike helmets, reflector belts, community service awards,
and much more, to establishing over 40 gemachs
in town, Frank, like his parents, is very much a “go-to” person in the
community when someone needs help. The reach of Frank’s chesed is felt
not only in
Frank has published many one-of-a
kind security guides, geared to our community, for schools, camps, and students
studying in Eretz Yisrael. During Hurricane Sandy, he purchased truckloads of
generators, flashlights, and batteries, and sent them to communities suffering
from the hurricane’s devastating effects. He has assisted communities during
other natural disasters, such as several hurricanes in
Frank was close to finishing his
new critical guide, Keep Your Shul Safe, when the
Danielle Sarah is also involved in
various community endeavors including the Ahavas Yisrael Jewish Women’s
Project. She coordinates visits by noted rebbetzins and speakers and hosts Torah
shiurim for women. Frank said, “Everything I do is a credit to the
important values my parents taught us. They were unique in their selflessness,
and I can only hope to live my life and help the klal in a way they
would be proud of.”
Eli Schlossberg is the
author of My Shtetl Baltimore.
