Summary: Lenny Schafer is a Mench. (Mench is a Yiddish term which means “stand up guy”.) Lenny edits an autism newsletter that is read by over 20,000 people. But that is not why I call him a mench. In 1989 Lenny’s world was falling apart. His thriving high tech business lay in ruins because of an earthquake, his marriage was falling apart, and then his son was diagnosed with autism. Professionals told Lenny there was no hope and the boy should be locked away in an institution and forgotten. Unlike 85% of the husbands whose child is diagnosed with autism, Lenny did not cut and run. He fought his wife for custody of their son and won. Lenny has devoted himself to his son ever since. Lenny believes that dirty vaccines caused his son’s autism. He has strong views on the ethics of some of our public intuitions and lawmakers, and fights to change the system through public advocacy and education in this country, which he dearly loves. I chat with Lenny about his journey, the autism issues of the day and his desire to make things better for all children who have autism, regardless of how they acquired it. Heart, soul, and compassion. A mench.
