JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Written on the back of Leah Palestrant’s red Special Olympics t-shirt is a title she’s earned over the years, ‘Coach.’
"Hands out, hands out," she shouted while shuffling along the side of a basketball court with her athletes lined up in formation eagerly ready to play.
In addition to basketball, Palestrant coaches soccer and flag football. She got her start as a Special Olympics volunteer at just nine years old. Palestrant recalls her title then, as a ‘hugger,’ greeting athletes as they crossed the finish line at track meets. Her cousin, Joel was a Special Olympics athlete.
“I remember being a very young child going to his track meets, his bowling matches, his swimming meets and just cheering for him form the sideline.”
She’s since moved off the sideline and takes a very active approach when it comes to serving the Jacksonville community.
Palenstrant was appointed to the Jacksonville Ethics Commission in January.
“I don't want to be someone who just sits on the sidelines and complains about what's going on in legislation and policy, I want to be able to say I'm doing something about it,” Palenstrant said.
She’s a mother of one who aims to make an impact on everyone she encounters.
“Tikkun Olam is a Jewish value that literally means repairing the world,” Palestrant said. “The idea behind it is whatever you can do to make the world a better place, whether it's volunteering here or giving your time or your money there, what you're passionate about and how you give back is how you repair the world in your small little way.”
She’s full of energy and enjoys giving back. Palestrant majored in zoology in college and now volunteers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, helping with manatee rescues. She's passionate about many causes, including fighting back against hate.
"When we saw some of the anti-Semitic projections on buildings and some of the things at the Jaguar games it was really disheartening to know that was happening in my community," Palestrant said.
The need for dialogue across lines of difference became even more apparent she says in late 2023.
"Last year after October 7 and the war in Israel, we saw there was a lot of anti-Semitic up rise exponentially on college campuses," Palestrant said.
She hosts Shabbat dinners at her home, welcoming people who are not Jewish, to see and experience what she calls "a place of love."
“My husband and my son and I have chosen to make Jacksonville our home and I want to be someone who makes it a better place, and if I ever leave, I want to leave it better than I found it,” Palestrant said.