Cases

The end came quickly. Shortly after his disease was diagnosed, Mr. S. was summoned to a better world. The younger children didn't even know how serious his situation was until a few days before his petira. Mrs. S's sister and her husband, who live in the same building as the S's, have taken upon themselves the task of providing the young widow and orphans with physical and emotional support. Mrs. S. is still grieving deeply and is not yet able to resume her household duties. Her sister has taken on these tasks happily, with exceptional devotion. She shops, cooks, and cleans, while taking care of her own family as well. Concerned neighbors contacted us regarding the cost of all this. We consider it a privilege to aid this wonderful family.

Despite the many operations and treatments that Rav N. underwent since childhood, the disability in his legs was never fully cured. Nevertheless, he was able to establish a wonderful home and raise a family and support them nicely. But in the past year, his physical problem worsened and he lost his mobility. The N's family had to move to a ground floor apartment. He needed physical therapy and special equipment. At the same time, in his wife's job there were cutbacks in the workers' hours, and she is now only earning half as much as she used to. And the Chagim are coming..

As a young teenager, Mr. Y. was drawn to the frum families living in his neighborhood, and, with their guidance, began keeping Mitzvos and enrolled in Yeshiva. When the time came for him to marry, he was introduced to a girl from a background similar to his, who was interested in building the type of Torah home he wanted. They've been married now for about two years. The young Mrs. Y. is in the process of getting her degree, but  with two little children to care for, she's had to stretch out her studies somewhat. She hopes to finish in a few months. Mr. Y. feels that at this point he wants and needs to continue learning in Yeshiva. In the evenings he teaches Ba'alei Teshuva. His earnings from this, together with his Kollel stipend, provide them with enough to get by on during the year. But when Tishrei is coming, with all its extra expenses, there's no way they can manage on their own.

Along with the joy and gratitude upon the birth of their fourth son, sadness also descended upon the L's home. Now, several months later, Mrs. L has not yet shaken off the severe depression that enveloped her after the birth. The anti-depressants she's been taking and the therapy sessions she's undergoing have not yet brought the hoped-for results. Meanwhile, Mr. L. is filling the roles of both  father and mother. He invests in each child according to his age and individual needs – helping  with homework, or taking them on a little trip, or making them their favorite foods.  At  the same time, he must serve as the breadwinner and also provide his wife with emotional support. The burden is very, very heavy. He needs to pay for hired help to keep the household running, and Mrs. L's medicine is also quite costly, and is not covered by Bituach Leumi

For years, Mrs. H. is running her household by herself. Mr. H. disappeared without a trace, and after exhausting all available avenues of locating him, the family made peace with the situation and is going about life with acceptance and serenity. The two oldest girls got married. Along with the Nachas had been come big expenses. Over the past few months, Mrs. H. has had to undergo an urgent, costly medical procedure. The youngest child was found to have a learning disability  that requires expert professional therapy, which is very expensive, and now, meeting the costs of the upcoming holiday are just beyond this brave woman's ability.

Rav R. is an eminent Talmid Chacham, beloved in his community, and very influential in all the educational and halachic affairs of the city. Usually, Rav R. earns enough parnosso to get by, but several months ago he was hit by a car as he was on his way to deliver a Shiur, and was injured. Although ב"ה the injury was not very serious, the ensuing expenses were quite high, as well as the amount of time he has to take off from delivering Shiurim for physiotherapy. And now there are the Yom Tov's expenses as well, and how will he provide the necessities for his large family?

The L's arrived on these shores from Russia over ten years ago. They made a remarkably smooth adjustment to life here. Both parents found jobs, and the grandmother took care of the children and the home. But as grandmother got older, her abilities declined. In recent months she reached the stage where she cannot take care of her own needs at all. The L's and their children, who are now grown up, tend to her devotedly, happy to repay in some measure all that she did for them. But providing her with the equipment and appurtenances she needs is costly. Where shall they get the needed money?

The gaon Rav S. is one of the most important  and sought-after Dayanim in his region. Many of people turn to him for advice, counsel, and guidance both in their mundane affairs and in their spiritual strivings. Even though they have to wait in a long line to get in to see him, they always come out with a good feeling, satisfied with the answer they received. The S. family is a large one, and the household expenses are therefore high, but their income is very, very low. To the outside world, it seems that the S's have plenty of income and manage without any difficulty. But those who are close to them know, and informed us,in secret, that in truth they are in severe straits and sometimes are lacking minimal necessities. With the chagim approaching, we would like to lighten their hearts.