Rabbi
Jeffrey Leynor is the President of the TOV Center. TOV was chosen as the name
of the organization because the Hebrew word TOV
appears seven times in the opening creation account of the Torah (Genesis 1).
It is the standard that the Creator used to judge His acts of creation. Each
act made His creation a better and safer place for life.
TOV is “an act that is visible and concrete, good to the
sight, beautiful and pleasant to the eyes; makes more functionally complete;
protects and preserves life; and, enhances the quality of life.”
The Creation account reveals the Torah’s Basic Requirements
of Life and defines foundational universal values that place Life 1st
as the highest value. The TOV Center encourages individuals to adopt Life 1st Values as
their core values, create rewarding creative relationships with others who
share Life 1st Values
and become co-creators of acts of TOV in the places they live and interact with
others.
Rabbi Leynor is also
actively involved in teaching his “Choosing Life” program about suicide awareness and prevention. He
is passionate about sharing his expertise and experience to help others
effectively address dramatic Life changes -- whether sudden or expected. The
program was born out of his personal and professional experiences. “Suicide --
or attempted suicide -- creates chaos, followed by a human need to grieve and
understand." The rabbi believes that learning about suicide awareness and
prevention can open the door to new possibilities while empowering us. "Everyone
has a story," he says. "Regardless of our specific circumstances, we
can nurture our power and focus our energies to enhance our lives and the lives
of others."
