The word self-pity does not exist in Ruchama Tefilinsky’s dictionary.

Even after being abandoned by her husband of seventeen years. Even after his suffering from a mental breakdown.  Even after being left to raise and support six children completely on her own.

When Ruchama caught her husband smoking and using his phone on Shabbos, behavior which was highly unusual for the man, she knew that something was very wrong. As it turned out, Dovid* was suffering from a severe mental breakdown. But most disturbing of all was when Ruchama’s husband suddenly packed up his things and left his beloved family for good.

“For a year, I waited for him to come back,” says Ruchama, looking back at those dark times. “That was it. All of our dreams of raising our children together disappeared.”

Though she was heartbroken, the incredible woman decided not to allow Dovid’s painful abandonment to destroy her family. Ruchama gathered her strength and learned how to juggle everything that comes with raising six children on her own, even starting a degree in social work at the age of 42 with six young children and no child support.

“I just finished a degree in social work,” Ruchama says. “My goal is to be self-supporting and not need to rely on anyone or ask for money from the public.”

Ruchama recently celebrated her daughter’s engagement. But unfortunately, as a newly single mother, she simply does not have the funds to marry off her child:

“Five months ago, my sweet, beautiful daughter Esti got engaged. I don’t know how I will even start to prepare for the wedding…Esti hasn’t bought anything for the wedding yet. She went to all the stores, set things aside, and asked the workers to keep them there until she has a way to pay for them. She doesn’t even have a dress.”

It’s inspiring to see Jewish women who face adversity with so much courage. But everyone needs help sometimes. Those who wish to help out this struggling single mother and help her family who have been through everything simply celebrate their simcha with dignity can do so now by donating via her crowdfunding campaign on thechesedfund.com. 

*Names have been changed to protect privacy