It was a balmy Friday day in Miami when Nosson Deitsch, a 21-year-old rabbinical student, decided to drive north to Chabad-Lubavitch of Brandon with some friends.

“Nosson was planning on celebrating Lag B’Omer with our congregation,” says Tzippy Rubashkin, the center’s co-director. “Lag B’omer was on Sunday that year, so Nosson and his friends decided to spend the Sabbath here as well.”

That May 2010 weekend was one that the greater Tampa Jewish community will keep in their hearts forever.

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“Nosson read from the Torah,” recalls Rabbi Mendel Rubashkin. “After the prayers, he took the opportunity to speak. He was able to connect with everybody. He created a special bond with people.”

“I met Nosson that Shabbat,” remembers Luis Carmona. “He was special. He was a student rabbi, but he had so much energy.

“He liked my name,” continues Carmona. “I remember him repeating it over and over. He told me he had a great story about my name. I was looking forward to hearing it at the Lag B’Omer picnic.”

Carmona never did get to hear that story. That Sunday, he was tragically killed in a freak jet-skiing accident. On a day reserved for celebration, the Brandon community mourned the loss of an out-going, happy young man they had just begun to love.

A month later, members gathered to honor Deitsch’s memory, “to do something significant,” in the words of Rubashkin. After much deliberation, they collected enough money to commission a Torah scroll that would be a permanent part of the local Chabad House.

Although initially, many people doubted their ability to raise the sum necessary to buy a brand-new scroll – painstakingly crafted by a ritual scribe, each scroll costs tens of thousands of dollars – the community pulled through. It’ll be dedicating the new scroll in Deitsch’s memory at a grand celebration on Feb. 12.

Rubashkin attributes the can-do spirit of his congregation to the inspiration provided by Deitsch.

“Nosson was a very action-oriented person,” explains the rabbi. “He had this attitude that screamed, ‘I’m gonna make it happen.’ From the moment he said he would get something done, you could consider it done.”

It’s a sentiment shared by the many people around the world whose lives were touched in ways large and small by Deitsch. Stories abound of his selfless manner and a dizzying schedule that saw him pore over classic Jewish texts and manuscripts before combing the streets in search of Jews to offer them the opportunity to reconnect with their heritage. Just hours before he passed away, he was helping Jewish shoppers at a nearby mall don the prayer boxes known as tefillin.

Tzippy Rubashkin details exactly how the new scroll will similarly inspire the wider community.

“We will parade the Torah through the streets,” she says. “This will give us a chance to publicize how much we love the Torah. Judaism is a happy, festive religion. People will be able to express their Jewish pride openly.”

The Torah celebration will include music, food, crafts and entertainment for children. Everyone in attendance will have the chance to write a letter in the Torah. Additionally, a workshop will educate participants about the technicalities of writing a kosher Torah scroll.

Raymond Pinto is very excited about the community’s new Sefer Torah.

“I believe that the spirit of Nosson’s youth and vibrancy will remain with us through our Torah,” he says.

Mendel Rubashkin agrees.

“Nosson was so full of life. He did not suppress his personality,” he relates. “Watching his happiness, people said ‘I want to lead a life like that.’ ”