Submitted by the organizers. There is a family in our midst who is at risk of slipping away, and we appeal to you to help us save them from the brink.
The father of this large family discarded every vestige of Yiddeshkeit and abandoned his family in the process.
The burdens placed upon them by the trauma of his abandonment are absolutely crushing. The struggle to pay their daily bills has led to enormous accumulated debt, in addition to the significant expenditure needed to get each child back on his or her feet emotionally.
The cost of keeping them frum against the father’s wishes, paying for tuition, kosher food, etc. is taking its toll on the family, and they are currently facing the prospect of placing these precious neshamos in public school.
Chesed of Lakewood has verified and endorsed this campaign, and it is backed by their Rabbinical Board, the Lakewood Roshei Yeshivah and Mashgiach.
By adopting these children as your own and keeping them on the right derech through your generosity, may you take this zechus with you into the Yomim Noraim and be zoche to nachas from your own family, and may you never know the anguish of this family.
Just made a donation. If everyone gives a little, it will add up to a lot.
From Rabbi Moshe Meir Weiss, shlita – “Why is it that charity is unique in its ability to save our lives?…What is so special about charity that it is vested with such awesome power? I believe that the reason is as follows. Let’s say you make twenty-five dollars per hour. You then go to shul on Shabbos and they have an appeal for Hatzoloh, the local Bikur Cholim, or your community yeshiva or day school. You benevolently respond by giving one hundred dollars. In essence, what are you really giving to charity? Let’s examine this carefully. It took you four hours to earn that money, so what you are really giving to charity is four hours of your life. We know that Hashem rewards in a very liberal way measure-for-measure the mitzvahs that we do. Therefore, since we are giving to charity some portion of our life, Hashem will reward us with extra life, thus beautifully explaining why charity saves us from death.”
Sometimes it is hard to give tzedaka when you do not know who the recipient is. But I think that is considered a higher level of tzedaka.
If everyone who is reading this can give just a little bit, it will probably give a a lot of chizuk to this family. Baruch Hashem there were other situations posted on lakewoodscoop recently – where the recipient (whether it was for a school or for a sefer Torah or for someone else) – WAS mentioned, and the generous response was truly amazing.
Let’s try to do the same for this family who for reasons of privacy do not want their name mentioned. Now before Rosh Hashana is the perfect time to extend our hands to all those who call out for help – whether or not we know them. As Goldy wrote, this mitzvah of tzedaka gives us extra life.
I gave last night. Hope no one ever knows from such a situation.