It’s a quiet Friday afternoon at Misaskim Headquarters.
The clock reads 6:15PM when the phone rang.
It was a counselor from Chai Lifeline’s Camp Simcha on the phone. He very calmly told the Misaskim volunteer that a camper in his bunks father had just been Niftar R”L, but he was reaching out to Misaskim for help. His problem was that upon questioning the camper what the funeral arrangements were, he was told “my father is getting cremated”.
Without wasting a second, Misaskim contacted Rabbi Motty Gabioff of Camp Simcha, and learned that there were only two people who could possibly convince the mother to allow her husband to be brought to Kevuras Yisroel: The two counselors.
The two counselors were sent to the home and spent time with the family.
With coaching from Misaskim, the counselor’s were Boruch Hashem able to convince the mother to bury her husband like a Jew, and not Chas Veshalom be cremated.
There were just two conditions: The mother requested that the funeral arrangements not be changed from the original 3:00PM on Monday afternoon, and that he be buried as close to her home as possible.
With these two conditions on their table, Misaskim contacted Rabbi Yitzchok (Edwin) Katzenstein – of the Washington Heights Chevra Kaddisha, and arranged to have a plot be purchased at the Hackensack (Jewish) Cemetery.
A Taharah was performed on the Niftar, and the Levaya was officiated by Andy Lauber of Chai Lifeline and Misaskim on Tuesday morning – all to the families wishes.
(Click HERE for photos) Misaskim tells YWN that although their organization was responsible for making much of this happen – & covered the cost of the funeral, purchase of the plot, and burial, without the two counselors Aryeh Dicker, and Binyomin Moss from Camp Simcha, along with the dedicated staff at Chai Lifeline, this would have never taken place.
Yehi Zichro Boruch…..
(Yehuda Drudgestein – YWN)
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15 Responses
We are proud of Rabbi Edwin Katzenstein of Washington Heights for his chessed shel emmess.Not only is he an excellent Chevrah Kadishah expert and askan;he is also an excellent Mohel.(From cradle to grave,and chessed in between)
Kol Hakavod for this Chesed Shel Emet. May G-D bless all of those who intervened.
mi keamcha yisrael!!! such love and devotion and caring is a true kiddush Hashem!!! May we all share only in simchas!!
Another great job well done by two amazing “Life”Saving organizations. Kudos again to Misaskim and Chai-Lifeline, May we all learn a lesson how to work together to do what we need for Yiddishkeit!
Mammash a z’chus for everybody involved and especially the niftar. Kol Ha-Kavod!
Boruch dayan haemes. May the family of the niftar know no more sorrow. Also, a big yasher koach to all those involved in this mitzvah.
Thank you for sharing this story. Although sad, it shows what an askanim and Yidden who care about klal Yisrael can accomplish. It’s an example for all of us, I think.
its a unfortunate event that ended well according to das torah.rabbi e. katzenstein from washington heights is to be commended for his wonderful chesed shell emes as well as the counselors who made the effort to convince the mother to bury her husband instead of cremating him as origonally intended. the misaskim organization is to be elevated to high praise for their wonderful kindness and understandings during tough times that families go thru.
Mi K’Amacha Yisroel!
this story is truly inspiring. Kudos to chai lifeline for the great work they do.
Its amazing to see 2 amazng organizations who truly care about a fellow yid working hand in hand with one goal in mind – to Help A Yid!!
Ashreichem Chai Lifeline & Misaskim!!!!
amazing!! may this be a big zechus for all people involved.
A tremendous chesed. I just need to clarify one point. The current Camp Simcha session is for girls.
(See http://www.chailifeline.org/application-camp.php). The boys sessions do not start until July 30. Were these counselors calling about a boy who was in their bunk last summer? That would be typical of Camp Simcha counselors who are devoted to their campers and families year round–not just during the few weeks of camp.
I checked the website of Chailifeline.org – this chesed is not on the list of programs that they advertise that they do, however it shows that Sha-eza tzora Shelo Tovoi, Chai Lifeline goes above and beyond their call of duty to do what the fellow yid needs.
Misaskim works constantly with Chai Lifeline, especially with their Project Chai program.
May Hakodosh Baruch Hu give these two organizations the Koyach and Siyate Dishmaye to continue to assist Klal Yisroel and let’s daven that we shouldn’t need them in Klal Yisroel!
THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS OF MISASKIM AND CHAI LIFELINE!!!
beautiful.