[COMMUNICATED]

It was chaos at the back of the classroom as a group of concerned girls stood over the shaking body of 18-year-old Chani Goldstein*. Chani had suddenly collapsed and was weeping uncontrollably. For a terrifying 10 minutes, she gasped for air, sure she was dying.

A trip to the nurse revealed that she had had a panic attack. A trip to the rabbi revealed much more.

Chani’s “story” was known to the school. She had lost her father to coronavirus shortly after the beginning of the year. Her mother insisted she continue with seminary, but that day, she had gotten a call from her little sister. There was no food in the house, no money for clothes. Their mother spoke in whispers to neighbors about not being able to pay the bills. Everything was falling apart.

With a heart full of fear and grief, Chani sat at the desk of the Rav, and cried once more.

Stories like this tragically become more common than ever in the past year. The rabbanim who advise those in need have been overwhelmed with stories of tragedy & hardship.

A group of talmidei chachamim who have operated in secret doing chesed for those in need are now being represented by Rav Reuven Elbaz shlit”a:

In the Rav’s own words, saving these lives will “stand next to” donors this coming Yom Kippur. Those who like to receive the Rav’s blessing by donating to this sourced confirmed as urgent & trustworthy by several rabbanim can do so here for a limited time.

*Details changed to protect the families’ privacy