Lake Forest Rabbi Donates Kidney To Stranger After Year-Long Journey To Match

LAKE FOREST, IL — A Lake Forest rabbi is recovering well after donating a kidney to a stranger nearly two months ago, saying the decision followed a long period of thought and a match process that began about a year earlier.

Rabbi Moshe Spalter of Chabad of Lake Forest told Patch he had considered kidney donation for some time before ultimately moving forward.

He first tested to see if he was a match for a close acquaintance about one year ago. When that match did not work out, he was placed in a kidney organization's system. About eight months later, he was contacted and told he was a match for an unknown recipient, and he decided to proceed with the donation.

Before the surgery, Spalter said he did think about the possible issues he may face during recovery and not being able to help as much at home while he healed, especially as a father of three children. He told Patch that factor was part of his decision-making, but he concluded it was worth it if it meant helping another person.

He also said he briefly met the person who received his kidney at the hospital after the surgery, and that the two spoke by phone five to six weeks later.

“It's definitely a good feeling. I didn't do it to feel good, to be honest. I did it more because it came my way, and I felt like it was the proper thing to do. God gives us life, and He gives us responsibilities, and He gives us a purpose in this life. So I just felt like it was the proper thing that I was meant to do,” Spalter told Patch.

Spalter said his recovery is still ongoing, but so far it is going well.

The donation comes as Spalter continues to build the congregation he helped establish, Chabad of Lake Forest, about three and a half years ago. He said the community is still expanding as it works to reach more residents.

Members of the community are invited to the upcoming High Holiday celebrations at Chabad of Lake Forest, Spalter said.