[COMMUNICATED] Four siblings told the heartbreaking story of their forcible separation this week, after a family simcha caused them to relive the passing of parents Boruch and Dina Altov a”h. The two parents passed away in 2015 over the course of a shockingly brief two months, leaving teenaged children Daniel, Avital, Emanuel, and Yael without a legal guardian. Foster care facilities were unable to find a place which could house them together, so the four siblings were sent to live separately in various orphan institutions.
The eldest daughter, Avital, is currently out of foster care and working as a cashier to pay her portion of the rent in a simple, roommate-shared apartment. Recently, the young woman has become engaged, an event which should bring only joy but which instead has caused a resurgence of grief. Faced with the task of making a wedding alone, Avital has been “been shocked to find that even the most basic expenses, such as a discounted hall or a used dress, are beyond [her] budget.”
A hachnasas kallah fund has been started with the goal of acquiring essentials for the wedding, and a modest living space after marriage. The wedding date is set for just eight days from now, and the couple is severely lacking. Next Monday will surely be an emotional event for the Altov children, who transformed so abruptly from ‘regular’ family, to mourning individuals, living on their own. Contributions would deeply comfort the grieving bride during this highly sensitive time.