How many casualties has the pandemic claimed?
It was Friday, a week and half after Pesach. The lockdown was still in effect, and everyone was home. Father Efraim Blum wasn’t going out at all, even for fresh air, because he was suffering from a high fever. They anxiously awaited the return of his test results.
Suddenly, they heard a thump. Mother left the Shabbos cooking and ran in a panic, only to find her husband lying on the floor, unconscious.
The paramedics arrived and burst into the Blum home. They checked his pulse & began resuscitation. One, two, three … his inanimate body jumped fron the electric shocks. The children watched on in horror, screaming – “Abba!,” they yelled. “Abba, wake up!”
But he did not wake up. These were the memories running through Mrs. Blum’s mind as she entered the Vaad HaRabbanim offices, and applied for help to pay her bills.
We are now entering an essentially important part of our year: The 40 days between Rosh Chodesh Elul & Yom Kippur. In this time we push ourselves to do better and plead for Hashem to forgive us for our mistakes & to renew us for the year to come.
Emissaries from Vaad HaRabbanim will be travelling to 5 of the holiest places in the world: The Kosel, Kever Rochel, The Kever of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai, Amukah, and the Kever of Reb Yehuda Bar Ilai.
For 40 days these emissaries will stand at each of these tremendously holy, powerful, and historic sites, and cry out to Hashem on behalf of the Jewish People. They will have lists in their hands – lists with the names of all those who donate to help Israel’s most impoverished families.
The cause is urgent – since the appearance of the coronavirus, there has been a 60% uptick in appeals for help at the Vaad offices.
Behind this cause are three Torah giants: Rav Chaim Kanievsky, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, and Rav Reuven Elbaz. They extend their blessing to all those who give here to help the many poor people whose lives have been damaged by COVID:
“Whoever takes part in supporting the sick should merit great Yeshuos, be protected from all disease, and see joy in their homes.”
These days are crucial – make the most of your preparation for Yom Kippur by giving tzedaka to this urgent & worthy cause, and have your family in the prayers at Israel’s holiest sites, together with the blessing of the Gedolei HaDor. This is how you can end the year right.
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