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 Atlanta, Georgia. The family later moved to Englewood, NJ, Long Branch, NJ, and then Washington Heights in New York, where Hannah taught Hebrew school. Hannah graduated from New York University and attended the Bernard Revel Graduate School (Yeshiva University) and later McCoy College (John Hopkins) in Baltimore.

In 1954, Hannah married M. Leo Storch, a”h. Leo was Baltimore’s number one balabus, and with Hannah’s support, as a team, they made a huge impact on the Baltimore community. Together, their mentschlichkeit, great business sense, and generosity helped place Baltimore “on the map.” With their help, Baltimore became a thriving and vibrant center of Yiddishkeit in America. Both Hannah and Leo were soft-spoken people, but their selfless actions were powerful and long lasting.

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 bi-monthly, commuting from New York, to make sure she had the support she needed. Hannah commuted to her office in downtown Baltimore daily and later moved the office to Pikesville.

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  and contributors for the purchase of the 48-acre campus for Bais Yaakov on Greenspring Avenue next to Cylburn. As a child, I remember Leo and Henry P. Cohen visiting our home to raise money to ensure that the staff was paid on time. For many years, Leo and Hannah supplied schach for Sukkos to the whole community from forest land they owned. They were instrumental in launching the Vaad Hakashrus, the Star-K of Baltimore. Later, Hannah helped establish the Baltimore Community Kollel-Tiferes Moshe Aryeh, the Jewish Collegiate Network, and the NWCP. Hannah also supported Rabbi Heinemann’s weekly shiur at the Agudah in memory of her Leo. Almost every Baltimore tzedaka and Yiddishe cause benefited from their generosity.

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 Baltimore Jewish community. Lee Storch, Buddy’s wife, worked tirelessly for the Talmudical Academy, and Hannah was a major force behind Bais Yaakov, and founded The Freida K. Hirmes Women’s Institute of Torah (WIT).

Broad Public Service and Kiruv

Baruch “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 Baltimore’s Associated Jewish Charities. She was also an early supporter of Jonathan Pollard. She was close to his parents and made sure to call them to wish them a good Shabbos every erev Shabbos, giving them real hope while she worked hard with her active advocacy on behalf of Jonathan. She constantly mailed him letters while he was incarcerated and afterward, and he would reply.

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 Bancroft Road remains in the family as a Baltimore home for Judy (Bregin) Gross. Hannah relocated to a home on Fallstaff Road. Two of her children, Mindy Spetner and Frank and their families live on that street now as well. The chesed Hannah left behind at her home on Bancroft was taken up by Judy and her first husband, Binyamin Bregin, a”h. Dr. Bregin was instrumental in helping Rabbi Slanger open the Bais Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore at the Summit Club on Pimlico Road. Judy is involved in Simchas Esther, an organization that helps newlyweds, and she also works with a local group of women on shidduchim. Judy continues to host community events and lectures in her home as well.

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 Suffern, New York, where he works tirelessly for the shul and community. Yaakov Hillel noted, “The first time I met my mother-in-law, I was struck by her regal appearance and aura. When in her presence, you could easily see she was one of kind.”

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 Institute of Torah Seminary). Mindy was also an early president of P’tach.

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 Baltimore but across America and Eretz Yisrael.

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 Florida and Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

Frank was close to finishing his new critical guide, Keep Your Shul Safe, when the Corona pandemic hit. But instead of slowing down, he jumped into action and has been a critical supplier of over 500,000 masks, gloves, face shields, disinfectants, and wipes, very often provided free to our community schools, shuls, and institutions. He donated thousands of masks and other PPE in Baltimore and the Tri-state area to police and fire departments, nurses, doctors, hospitals, nursing home employees, and many more.

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.”

Baltimore will now suffer from the great void Hannah’s petirah leaves. She is irreplaceable. We have very sadly lost our First Lady of Chesed, the wife and matriarch of an extraordinary family. However, her children continue the illustrious legacy their altruistic parents have left for them. May all of Leo and Hannah’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren be imbued with their grandparents’ wonderful middos and special love for chesed in their hearts and homes. In this way, the family can honor the memory of Leo and Hannah, a”h, and give them well-deserved kavod.

 Eli Schlossberg is the author of My Shtetl Baltimore.

This article first appeared in Where What When