Dear Editor,
I have been privileged to see the absolute best side of klal yisroel and I feel that I must express my total and complete awe and gratitude. Since this is the only public forum that I know of for all things Jewish, I would like to utilize your site to publicize what I have experienced.
3 weeks ago, a friend of my husband’s was niftar very tragically and suddenly. He was 29 years old and his wife was due imminently with their 4th child.
There was no life insurance as the niftar had been sick a number of years back and was not eligible for insurance.
A fund, Keren Zichron Yehoshua was set up to help the almanah and her children financially. All of the niftar’s friends took upon themselves to raise a certain amount of money as the financial situation was and is extremely dire. When my husband mentioned the Keren to me, I told him that I would be able to email the appeal request with all the information to some friends and co-workers. I sent the email to approximately 50 people.
The response was so beyond overwhelming, I do not know how to describe the feeling I have. I have received hundreds of responses. Every day, the mail brings more and more checks with notes of chizuk for the almanah.
There are literally tears in my eyes when I see the massive and overwhelming response from friends and strangers alike. Most of these people do not know either the niftar or me, yet they respond so generously you can not help but see the great goodness of our incredible nation. When I was being menachem avel and mentioned the fact that the keren was set up to the mother of the niftar, she was almost crying with gratitude. This was before I got such massive response. If I told her now, imagine how touched she would be.
I wish there was a way that I could thank each and every person who responded so warmly and instantly and generously. I wish I could tell each one of you the difference you have made in this young mothers life. She Baruch Hashem gave birth to a baby boy last week which hopefully will help to bring a measure of nechama to the family. As much as the financial aspect is something that may be trivial with all she has to go through right now, you can not imagine how much of a weight was removed from her shoulders with the keren that was established. The road ahead for her will be difficult beyond belief and each and every person that responded helped to alleviate that a little bit.
So thank you from the bottom of my heart. All I can say is Mi Keamcha Yisroel. There is no one in the world like Bnai Yisroel. I know this for a fact now.
If anyone would like to be part of this mitzva, the name of the keren is:
Keren Zichron Yehoshua
A check can be mailed to me: Greenspan; 4 Shemen Street; Lakewood, NJ 08701
With much gratitude,
Rivky Greenspan
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9 Responses
Thank You for your letter extoling the virtues of Klal Yisrael.
Especially in these troubled times of negative press, how important are the words: “Mi Ke’amcha Yisrael”.
We are not perfect, but we must always strive for Kiddush H-shem.
Contrary to some people that are not aware, Kiddush H-shem is bein yisrael l’akum AND bein yisrael l’yisrael.(and yes–even between frum people)
When a yid says, “Mi Keamcha Yisrael”, an enormous kiddush H-shem has transpired.
Tizku L’mitzvos.
May we all be zoche to be m’kadesh Shem shomayim in all of our ways.
Why do so many people seem to thank others only when they know that they “owe”them something or think they may need a favor from them later? I’ve given wedding and bar mitzvah gifts to people who never thanked me over the last few years.Is this a trend? I’ve greeted people with a “good shabbos” or a “good morning” after shul,and got no response. One person told me that if you say ‘hello’ to someone and have nothing to discuss,they can just ignore you. Sometimes the strangers are the ones that will thank or greet,even though they’ve never met you before. People take others for granted when they are relatives or neighbors.If you don’t ‘belong’ to a certain group,you don’t count,even if your seat in shul is and has been next to the other for a long time ,he will not greet first and mostly not even respond to a greeting.You can send acrd or gift to them and not get any thanks. I hope this will change.
Finally someone has something POSITIVE to write! can we limit the comments to only POSITIVE THINGS PLEASE?
I’m happy to read this letter and can say from personal experience that I keep on seeing and saying “Mi Keamcha Yisroel”. I actually started writing down the incidents that keep on coming up so that I can review them when I feel the opposite R”L which is not too often B”H.
What else is there to say besides “Mi Ke’amcha Yisroel”!!!!! Look around you at the grocery, park, doctors office or just walking down the steet!! Start a positive trend- you’ll be glad you did!!
Let the good that Klal Yisroel keeps on doing bring the Go’el Tzedek Today! Amen!
Beautiful! Let’s keep showing the reason that we were chosen as a nation and that the midda of our ancestor Avraham Avinu is alive and shining!
Thanks for this letter. I was actually one of the contributors and know this young almanah personally. May Hashem give her strength.
Yes, I do appreciate positive letters like this. It helps remind us that we are all Jews, members of the same tribe.
Finally something beautiful to say thank you.
#2 PROUD KAJ… why don’t you join David F. of 2 weeks ago who criticized boro parkers, mope together. Why spoil something beautiful?
How beautiful. Mi k’amcha yisroel. May this bring a nechama to the family.