Chabad Hebrew Academy Teacher Donates A Kidney to Colleague

By Naomi Chen

SAN DIEGO –When I heard that our beloved Chabad Hebrew Academy teacher, Mrs. Rochel Smoller, or Morah Rochel as I used to call her, was going to give a talk at TEDx San Diego, I knew I couldn’t miss it. She is one of the best teachers I have ever met, and I am thrilled that all four of my kids had the opportunity to be in her class.

After I visited the TEDx San Diego website and saw her title – “Teacher, Kidney Donor Advocate” – I knew her TEDx talk would be about her story as a kidney donor.

But what exactly is a TEDx Talk? It’s an opportunity for speakers to present great ideas – referred to as “Ideas Worth Spreading.” For the past 15 years, TEDx San Diego has exclusively featured speakers local to the San Diego Community. Smoller spoke at the TEDx San Diego 2024 event and presented her simple yet profound idea: the transformative power of generosity and kindness through kidney donation.

Smoller is a mother of eight and grandmother of 24 (and counting). Her journey as a kidney donor began seven years ago when she learned that her colleague, Mrs. Zippi Tivon, was in desperate need of a kidney transplant. Tivon was also a teacher at Chabad Hebrew Academy, and the urgency of her situation sparked a call to action within the school community. While most of us (me included) listened and resumed our daily routines, Smoller registered herself as a donor to go through testing to see if she was a match. She was identified as the strongest candidate for Tivon’s transplant, changing both their lives forever.

During Smoller’s TEDx talk, as she shared her story, Tivon, the beneficiary of her selfless act, joined her on stage – a reminder of the impact of one person’s decision to act with kindness and compassion.

I had the opportunity to ask Smoller about her TEDx experience, and her reasons for speaking were as clear as they were inspiring.

Firstly, she wanted to save lives. With a staggering 40 million audience, TEDx talks have the potential to educate many people about the ease and transformative impact of kidney donation. Her talk could potentially save thousands of lives, creating a ripple effect as new donors inspire others to follow.

Secondly, she welcomed the challenge. Only nine out of 500 candidates were selected as San Diego TEDx speakers, presenting a significant challenge for her as a lifelong educator.

Finally, as a representative of the religious Jewish community, she hoped to bring a positive light and impact on the religious Jewish women. Currently, the Orthodox Jewish community is the largest group to donate living organs such as kidneys and livers. Kindness (Chesed) is part of being Jewish.

Already, Smoller’s story has generated a ripple effect of kindness and life-saving. Two other women from Chabad Hebrew Academy have followed in her footsteps, donating their kidneys in response to her example. With Smoller’s TEDx talk set to reach even more viewers once it is up on TEDx’s YouTube channel, we eagerly anticipate its impact as a source of inspiration for prospective donors and a lifeline for those in need.

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Naomi Chen, a Russian-born Israeli-American, resides in San Diego with her husband and four children. She is a wellness guide who leads yoga, workshops, retreats, and hiking trips. She volunteers at the Israeli American Council.