South Bend unity march bringing people together

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. — Mitzvah Mavens, a newly founded organization in Michiana, is marching for peace on July 26 in South Bend.

“You don’t have to be white, you don’t have to be black, and you don’t have to be Democrat or Republican to march in this march,” Mitzvah Mavens Co-Founder Elisheva Salomon-Lerman said. “You just have to be a human being, understanding other human-beings pain, and suffer.” 

Unity Within Our Community peace march is bringing people from all walks of life together for a peaceful demonstration.

Lerman said they are marching to show solidarity and to shed light on issues like police brutality, racism, and discrimination. Although they are not with the Black Lives Matter movement, they support the concept.

“We are saying that you matter, because YOU matter. Everybody matters. We need your voice with us,” Co-Founder of Mitzvah Mavens, Lisa Levin said. “We need you to say we are about love and peace and togetherness as opposed to decisiveness.”  

The march starts at 4 p.m. at the Family Dollar on the corner of Olive Street and Lincoln Way.

Mitzvah Mavens was formed in February to empower women as an inclusive group, welcoming everyone. It started to continue the legacy of Lisa Lerman, who died of cancer.  

 The organization is a multicultural group that brings women from different backgrounds together. According to Salomon, Lerman was all about volunteering in the community and bringing people together. In the light of the recent police-involved death of George Floyd and the protests across the nation to end racial inequality. Their message is simple, kindness.

 “This is my obligation to show that Black, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and any person who follows any type of religion, or not affiliated to any religion should be together,” Salomon-Lerman said.