In last
month’s issue, we requested our readers to submit stories about acts of
kindness. Here are some responses. Enjoy!
It all began
when I was a newlywed. The apartment we were renting in Brooklyn, NY happened
to be next door to a high school classmate, whom I hadn’t seen in years. Let’s
call her Henna. Henna was so happy to have me as a neighbor. She was already
the mother of two children, and her experience was very much appreciated by
this newly married kallah. Henna gave me advice about… everything. When she
realized I was pregnant, her advice was invaluable. We quickly became good
friends.
When
I went to the hospital to give birth, Henna jumped into action! When I arrived
home with my new baby girl, the refrigerator was filled with several days’
worth of meals. On my night table was a book about taking care of a newborn
baby. Next to my bed was a port-a-crib that Henna wasn’t using at that time,
filled with Pampers and newborn clothes. Henna was with me the very first time
I bathed my baby. She just made everything so simple and wonderful as I was
learning the new responsibilities in my life.
One
day, I asked Henna: “How can I ever repay you for everything you do for me?”
Her chesed went above and beyond, and I wanted to show my hakaras
hatov (appreciation). Her answer surprised me. She said, “One day
you will do all this for someone, and that will be my thanks.”
Do
all this for someone else? I wasn’t sure how I could ever find someone newly
married and having a first baby so that I could emulate this particular chesed.
Years
passed. I lived in Hartford, CT and then Silver Spring, MD, but all the people
I met already had children. Finally, we ended up in Baltimore. We purchased our
house on Menlo Drive, but it would not be available until October. And here it
was July! So, for a few months we lived in a cramped apartment, on the third
floor. We lived out of boxes, since it didn’t make sense to unpack the boxes
and then repack them three months later. It was not ideal for a family with three
small children. I was not a happy camper.
I
wondered why I had to go through this – until I discovered that on the
ground floor were young newlyweds who were expecting a baby. The wife – let’s
call her Esther – and I became good friends. She was a bit nervous,
understandably, with no family nearby. I had never forgotten that I still owed
Henna a ton of thanks for what she had done for me. And here was my chance.
When
Esther gave birth to a boy, I asked for her apartment key. She came home from
the hospital to a refrigerator filled with several days’ worth of food. My
port-a-crib, which I did not need at the time, was filled with Pampers and
newborn clothes. I gleefully helped her prepare for the shalom zachor,
the bris, and the pidyon haben. I was so excited to
finally have the opportunity to thank my dear friend Henna.
While
we were cleaning up in the kitchen together, Esther turned to me and asked: “How
can I ever repay you for all this kindness?”
Well,
I’m sure you can figure out what I answered her. I quickly replied: “One day
you will do all this for someone, and that will be my thanks.”
October
ultimately arrived. After Sukkos, I finally unpacked my boxes in my new home.
As I was organizing the closets and cabinets, I realized full well, that those
three months in that cramped apartment may have been uncomfortable but were
truly a chesed from Hashem.
* * *
?
The Blizzard of
2026
by Miriam
Sidell
When the snow
came a few weeks ago, my husband and I were wondering how our sidewalks would
be cleared. We are in our early 70s and not really up for the task. A
neighbor’s two boys came over and offered to shovel our front walk. We
offered to pay them, but they said, “No, it’s fun for us.” (In the end my
husband gave them each something, taken reluctantly.) Then another neighbor
sent their son over, and he shoveled our back walk. Another neighbor
(an adult) shoveled out our car and even cleared the snow off the car. All
was done cheerfully on a freezing cold day!
I
heard of another chesed that took place on our street. A friend went
shopping for a neighbor who had come home from the hospital to an empty
refrigerator. Then some neighbors prepared a few meals for him, all
completed before the snowstorm began.
Baruch
Hashem, we live in a wonderful, caring community.
