ByJonathan Kalmus, Jonathan Kalmus
A strictly Orthodox charity that donates £1.3 million annually to Jewish education and low income families is to continue despite the death of its founder.
Philanthropist Shloime Leitner, 61, who died from leukaemia two weeks ago, started the Broom Foundation in 1986 from a small office in his Salford home.
It was among the first to introduce charity vouchers to the religious community and the Broom Foundation voucher books have been a major means of charitable donations for thousands of people.
Tens of thousands of pounds have been donated annually through the charity to the King David, Broughton Jewish and Manchester Mesivta schools, among a huge number of causes.
Trustee David Neuwirth gave an assurance that it will continue to function. Mr Leitner's 21-year-old daughter has been administering the charity since he fell ill.
Hundreds attended the funeral. His brother Benjamin said it was "unbelievable how many people from the wider community came to the shivah because of Shloime's charitable work. He never saw the charity as any kind of business - he saw it as a privilege to help people."
Mr Leitner's wife Rivka passed away two years ago and his death leaves six children aged between 13 and 23 without a parent. Local rabbis have asked for donations to set up a trust fund for the children as a tribute to Mr Leitner's charitable legacy.