He’s not the next Jonas Salk, but Dr. Dovid Lazerson, widely known as Dr. Laz, is a true Jewish doctor any mother could be proud of. His unique healing formula is not available in pharmacies, but it is highly effective in uplifting the spirit of at-risk youth on the periphery.

The cure in four simple words stands for: Communication, Understanding, Respect and Education.

Dr. Laz honed his skills as a healer through successfully teaching in Buffalo’s challenging inner city. Years later, Dovid utilized his experience with the Black community during the ‘91 Crown Heights race riots to build bridges of communication from the smoldering ash and shattered glass. Working with local Black leaders, his maverick spirit made him the right man at the right place and time.

As a teen he was an avid musician, fun-loving adventurer and outdoorsman, and became a teacher of life-guarding, scuba diving, high ropes activities and wilderness survival.

After a stint with a rock band and a hippie-style search through alternate religions, he settled down to finish his Bachelor’s degree, and in his senior year, took a course on Jewish mysticism with Chabad Rabbi Nosson Gurary. “We argued all semester, but I couldn’t really land a punch,” Dovid recalls. “Rabbi Gurary was too smart and too sincere. He opened my eyes to realize that I had no bloomin’ idea of Judaism’s depth and spirituality. After graduation I checked out yeshiva for 3 weeks, and then stayed on for 3 years!”

Dovid’s first visit to a yeshiva gave him a revolutionary insight that enhanced his career as an innovative educator.

“I couldn’t believe this was a study hall! Instead of passive listening, the chavrusa-study partners wrestle with the text, debate and exchange ideas. “No sleeping through class here,” he noted.

After yeshiva, the Lubavitcher Rebbe guided Dovid to complete a Master’s degree in Special Ed. “When I was in school, I was turned off, often in trouble, and hyperactive. I went into education with a promise - I will not bore the daylights out of my students!”

CURE- Alienated “unteachable” kids
Dovid completed his Ph.D., worked in Buffalo’s public schools, and was successful with his pet filled classroom, sports, and hands-on action filled curriculum. His yeshiva style Chavrusa - peer - based learning empowered students, putting them in the novel position of givers and role models. Dovid’s success attracted national attention, was written up in the New York Times, and he was named Buffalo’s Teacher of the Year. Laz tells the humorous, insightful and touching saga of the interface of the young Chosid and his street savvy students in his first book, “Skullcaps N’ Switchblades.”

Dr. Laz later became Special Education Director at Manhattan Day School, and was living in Crown Heights - “ground zero” when the riots erupted.

Within a week, Dovid met with local Black leaders. “We had no agenda other than bringing our youth together. The media painted us as sworn enemies and fanned the flames, but we knew we had so much in common. At our first meeting, there were 30 Blacks and Jews sitting in a circle. It was hot and tense. But when it was over, no one wanted to leave. Something real was happening. I knew there was hope.”

CURE- Racial tension
The group evolved as understanding grew. Mixed basketball teams, art mural projects, and a performing group coined the name: Project CURE. Their love of music, sports, fun and the promise of youth was a winning formula.

CURE’s basketball team, composed of Blacks and Jews from Crown Heights, played during the NY Knicks' halftime, has performed for the U.S. Congress, the Democratic convention, and was featured on Donahue, Monty Williams, CNN and ESPN.

Showtime bought the rights to Dovid’s diary and produced a movie “Crown Heights,” that captures the tension and hope. The flick stars Howie Mandell as Laz, and co stars Mario Van Peebles. Three of Laz’s original songs are featured in the movie.

Dr. Laz’s dedication to healing an ever-wider audience brought him to Miami to create a post high school mentoring and vocational program called the Devorah Leah Center, and to develop programs for profoundly handicapped children at the Quest Center.

The Sing and Sign Choir includes non-verbal autistic, Down and other handicapped children who sign and sway to the music. The unique musicians play for senior centers and public schools - where the audience is “blown away, - there’s not a dry eye in the house!” One elderly woman was so moved by the childrens’ sincere expression; she was inspired to get up from her wheelchair for the first time in two years to dance!

“These kids sensitize others to see that they really are people and can give also,” Dovid enthuses. “Music isn’t just for hip and beautiful performing artists. It is the truly universal language of the soul.”

Dovid’s lively approach breaks through all kinds of barriers, racial, handicaps and cultural. He recently played in Switzerland, where the rabbi warned him, “The Swiss are very, very proper and reserved. They won’t go for rap.” To everyone’s amazement, Dr. Laz had them dancing on their chairs!

CURE- kids on the bottom can give
Dr. Laz recently applied the Talmudic partner study system in an experiment, in which youth in detention homes tutored others. There were profound changes for kids with criminal records, “who were put in responsible giving positions for the first time.” After publishing a paper about the study in a leading educational journal, Laz received inquiries about his “new, ground-breaking” method, and had to chuckle. “My method has a good track record, it’s been around since Moses learned Torah with G-d on Mt. Sinai- the first study partners!”

Dovid fills his spare time teaching graduate courses in special ed, and developing challenge rope courses in summer camps. He continues to play and rap at performances and Shabbatons around the world. Scenes from the performances can be viewed at Drlaz.com.

CURE- hyperactive kids
Dovid consults with parents about helping their hyperactive kids. He feels that medication has become a panacea that is applied too quickly, before fully exploring options like effective, relevant education. “Find the child’s passion. Give them a chance to develop their own special talent, through music lessons, martial arts and the like. I had a student who was deemed hopeless. I taught him lifesaving, which he loved. Once his passion was aroused and his confidence restored, he progressed to become an EMT. Today he is making $100,000 year as a highly regarded physician’s assistant.”

What one multi-tasking guy full of energy and love of humanity can do! Increasing the peace and helping underdogs let their light shine makes Dr. Laz a most effective doc. Feeling down or out of sync? Take the CURE!