Israeli man Mordechai Frankel launched a fundraising campaign this week with one simple message: “Please help me.”

Just six days before his wedding, Mr. Frankel’s state of extreme poverty has prevented him from making the arrangements necessary to begin married life.

However the context behind particular story includes yet another tragedy, which made headlines just one year ago. Mr. Frankel had been onboard the 402 Egged bus to Bnei Brak which endured a horrific crash in February of last year. His wife at the time was among those killed.

Now, Mordechai tells of new hope: He is engaged to be married once again in under a week. However, due to his extreme state of poverty, he must beg for the mercy of strangers. Mr. Frankel’s campaign included the statement below:

“Hello,

My name is Mordechai, and I desperately need your help.

I’m getting married in only 6 days and my kallah & I have nothing. Please, we are begging you, help us to start our home with the basics.

Last year, my first wife and I were in the 402 Bnei Brak bus accident. I lived, but she did not. When I attended her funeral in a wheelchair, with television cameras looking on, I did not know how I could ever move on.

But now, Baruch Hashem, I am engaged, and have a chance to start a new life and iyH new family with hope & happiness. 

The truth is that we are painfully poor.

I am so grateful to Kupat Ha’Ir and the gedolei yisroel for supporting our campaign. We pray that their influence will help to open peoples’ hearts to give.

We are begging you. Less than a week before our wedding and we are up at night worrying for the future. We are truly depending on your help and the help of Hashem to get us through this. 

This is our chance to heal from the pain of the past, and start this new chapter with hope.

Please help us. 

Thank you so much,

Mordechai”

Those familiar with the story have been moved to see both the simcha of this widower moving forward, and the pity of knowing that in addition to his previous suffering, he and his kallah must now endure poverty. The couple are to be married in just a few days, and are reportedly in dire need of assistance. Mordechai & his kallah hope donors will see their humanity, and help them to start a new life.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL CAMPAIGN