Donate to help with Larry Rosenberg's recovery

A message from Jon Kabat-Zinn…

My dear friend and dharma brother, Larry Rosenberg, founder of the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center (CIMC), has reached a point in his life, at age 91, where he needs financial support in the form of donations — large, small, and in-between — so he and his wife, Galina, can continue to stay in their apartment near CIMC and get the care they need.

In September of 2023, Larry fell and broke his hip. He has been severely limited in his mobility since then and now requires 24/7 assistance. Galina is younger but also has serious medical challenges that need a level of attention and assistance on a daily basis that Larry is no longer able to provide. Thus, professional care is required 24/7, and this is expensive.

Larry and I have been friends for sixty years, during which time we have supported each other in our meditative and teaching trajectories through youth, mid-life, and now, old age, although he, being twelve years older, has always been the acknowledged forerunner. He has never been clearer or more equanimous than he is now, facing the actualities that come with a long life and the challenges of having a body subject to decline. It is a marvel to behold and a testament to his lifetime of meditation practice and teaching.

Aside from decades of teaching at CIMC and the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, Larry has made and continues to make profound and unique dharma contributions to the world via the wisdom, clarity, and irrepressible Brooklyn sense of humor that radiate out of his books: Breath By Breath, Living in the Light of Dying, and Three Steps to Awakening. A fourth book will soon be published based on an AI-assisted compilation of subjects from the texts of hundreds of his recorded Dharma talks at CIMC, IMS, and elsewhere. There is also a movie about Larry’s life, Larry Rosenberg, Long Path Home, compelling from beginning to end.

If you are in a position to contribute, it would be a deep blessing to Larry and Galina and to the CIMC and global Sangha/ community.

With a deep dharma bow of gratitude,

Jon Kabat-Zinn

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from Team Larry Rosenberg...

“Team Larry Rosenberg,” a group of Larry’s students and friends, is now raising funds to help cover the cost of home healthcare aides, who make it possible for him to remain in his home with his wife, Galina. As Jon Kabat-Zinn stated above, since Larry’s fall and broken hip, he has needed assistance with many basic activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of bed, getting in and out of a chair, showering, and dressing.

This is why we’re reaching out to all of you -- friends, colleagues, students, readers -- who might have benefitted from Larry’s teachings on retreats, in groups and talks, on the written page, at a retreat center, or even in a local coffee shop. We need your help to raise the funds needed for his care. (The Veterans Administration will cover 14 hours per week because Larry served in the army after World War II). The full amount of his expenses runs to about $10,000 each month. It should be noted that CIMC generously provides housing and other support for Larry as allowed by their 501c(3) Nonprofit status.

The money collected through this fundraiser will be used exclusively for Larry’s health care expenses. These are personal gifts, dana in the Pali language of Buddhist texts, to help him with his healthcare needs. For this reason, these donations are not tax deductible. GoFundMe will charge 2.9% + 30 cents to process each donation, which means a $500 gift would send $485.20 to Larry. If you wish, you may also leave an optional tip to GoFundMe for their services. Note that GoFundMe will tack on a 17% tip by default. You are not required to leave any tip. The tip is a donation to the GoFundMe organization. Remove or reduce the tip by sliding the green dot to the left.

We are grateful for your gifts, large and small.

Years ago, Larry could be seen each summer at IMS in Barre, Mass, leading retreats and briskly walking around “the loop.” Throughout the year in Cambridge, he could also be spotted walking city blocks while carrying a bag of Whole Foods groceries in each hand. Larry has always loved walking practice. Unfortunately, that kind of brisk walking is no longer possible for him. But even though he’s confined to the use of a walker that travels only the length of his apartment hallway, Larry continues to practice, teach, and embody the wisdom and compassion of the Dharma—for the benefit of us all.

We hope you will take a moment to reflect on how generously Larry has offered his clear, direct, and joyous Dharma teaching to benefit you on your path. We also hope you’ll be inspired to help him during this challenging time. Your donation in any amount will be truly appreciated, and your help in getting the word out about this fundraiser will be invaluable

Many thanks!

Team Larry Rosenberg