Long-locked North Londoner Noch Spitzer may well have had the most world’s most expensive hair cut – raising nearly £11,000 to support Camp Simcha in the process.
Former Camp Simcha volunteer, Mr Spitzer, 31, has been fundraising for the charity in memory of Marc Lebe, a young man who he was a Camp Simcha ‘big brother’ to. Marc lost his battle with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy last year, aged 21, ten years after Noch first became his volunteer.
Mr Spitzer who describes Marc as an inspiration said: “I wanted to honour his memory… and also to raise money for Camp Simcha which does such amazing work and brought such love and light into Marc’s life.
Early this year, in May, Mr Spitzer has raised over £14,000 for the charity on a trek through Yosemite. Now, this Chanukah he has made the ultimate sacrifice of his hair and people have paid princely sums to see it happen.
“My hair has been long for the best part of 12 years,” said Mr Spitzer. “My wife and children don’t know me any other way. Infact, my five-year-old daughter Marley who also has long, curly hair, was very upset when she heard what I was doing.
“People have been bullying me to cut my hair for a long time but I have to admit I didn’t relish the prospect; this was probably the only way I was going to do it. I think everyone knew it would have to be worth a lot in fundraising terms for me to go ahead with it.
“Even my wife’s grandmother, who is 104, has sponsored me – she said she never liked it long!”
Mr Spitzer’s big hair cut took place on the last day of Chanukah – and the 20 inches hair he has had cut off will also go to Camp Simcha so that it can be made into a wig for a child who has lost their own hair as a result of illness.
Post-cut Mr Spitzer said it has not been too bad. “I have been getting lots of shocked faces and am also being told repeatedly by those who knew me at the time, that I look identical to my teenage self and as such about 12 years younger!
“Luckily Marley, our eldest daughter who shared my former hairstyle, and who cut the hair, told me she still ‘loves me anyway’, so that’s a relief!”
Chief executive of Camp Simcha Neville Goldschneider said: “For as long as I have known Noch he has had really long hair, so we are especially grateful to him for sacrificing that hair for such an important cause, which he of course has seen up close in the many years he volunteered for us. Thank you Noch.”
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