Page 36 - issue
P. 36
TO THE EDITOR, cult times for us was Shabbos afternoon. with a disability that I viewed as life alter-
You very sweetly asked for personal During my husband’s illness, a group of ing. Everyone came to the hospital and
friends would come over to visit on the said all kinds of truisms – like “You must
chesed stories to be shared. Here’s the long Shabbos afternoons. Since he died, be a very special person to be chosen to
one that came to my mind first. When a in August of 2002, we were still in the sea- have a child like this,” or “Hashem only
friend, Joyce Wolpert, heard that I was son of long Shabboses, but we didn’t have gives you what you can handle,” etc. Each
going through a hard time, years ago, she the visitors anymore. A very amazing fam- of them meant well and thought that he
called to ask if she could come over. ily here invited us to come every week in or she was comforting me. Unfortunately,
Staring at the floor, I slowly explained the late afternoon and have shalosh seu- their words did not assuage the pain.
what had happened to my family. When I dos and havdala together. They had kids Only one friend visited and didn’t say any-
finally looked up, I saw that her face was the same ages as mine, so the kids played thing about the situation. She just
covered with tears. At that very moment, while the adults socialized. Sometimes we brought some pretty sweaters for me.
my burden began to feel lighter. would be there for Friday night dinner This friend knew there were no “right
and/or Shabbos lunch as well. Our kids words.” She just wanted to show, through
Warmly, have all grown up and are on their own her actions, “I care.” Her kindness was
BRACHA GOETZ now. Today, I am still a frequent guest at very deeply felt.
their Shabbos table.
TO THE EDITOR, A MOTHER
I noticed the request in the “Dear Other friends have told me to call and
let them know if I want to come for a TO THE EDITOR,
Readers” last month about “the most Shabbos meal. It’s hard to spend As an older member of our communi-
meaningful kindness I ever received.” In Shabbos all alone now that my kids are
2000, my husband, Craig Heller, was diag- grown up. I know that I never have to be ty, I have recently seen major changes in
nosed with cancer. Throughout his ill- by myself for a Shabbos meal in our our driving habits. Why not officially
ness and after he died, so many people in amazing community. change the laws to fit this new fashion of
Baltimore reached out to us. Jewish driving? They would be called “The
Caring Network brought us gifts, meals, HANNAH HELLER Twelve New Driving Rules of 2017” and
cleaning help and other things we never might look like this:
realized would make a difference. At the TO THE EDITOR, ◆ Drive backwards, the wrong way, on a
time of Craig’s death, our daughter was 12 Years ago, I had a child who was born one-way street.
and our son was 7. One of the most diffi-
28 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
You very sweetly asked for personal During my husband’s illness, a group of ing. Everyone came to the hospital and
friends would come over to visit on the said all kinds of truisms – like “You must
chesed stories to be shared. Here’s the long Shabbos afternoons. Since he died, be a very special person to be chosen to
one that came to my mind first. When a in August of 2002, we were still in the sea- have a child like this,” or “Hashem only
friend, Joyce Wolpert, heard that I was son of long Shabboses, but we didn’t have gives you what you can handle,” etc. Each
going through a hard time, years ago, she the visitors anymore. A very amazing fam- of them meant well and thought that he
called to ask if she could come over. ily here invited us to come every week in or she was comforting me. Unfortunately,
Staring at the floor, I slowly explained the late afternoon and have shalosh seu- their words did not assuage the pain.
what had happened to my family. When I dos and havdala together. They had kids Only one friend visited and didn’t say any-
finally looked up, I saw that her face was the same ages as mine, so the kids played thing about the situation. She just
covered with tears. At that very moment, while the adults socialized. Sometimes we brought some pretty sweaters for me.
my burden began to feel lighter. would be there for Friday night dinner This friend knew there were no “right
and/or Shabbos lunch as well. Our kids words.” She just wanted to show, through
Warmly, have all grown up and are on their own her actions, “I care.” Her kindness was
BRACHA GOETZ now. Today, I am still a frequent guest at very deeply felt.
their Shabbos table.
TO THE EDITOR, A MOTHER
I noticed the request in the “Dear Other friends have told me to call and
let them know if I want to come for a TO THE EDITOR,
Readers” last month about “the most Shabbos meal. It’s hard to spend As an older member of our communi-
meaningful kindness I ever received.” In Shabbos all alone now that my kids are
2000, my husband, Craig Heller, was diag- grown up. I know that I never have to be ty, I have recently seen major changes in
nosed with cancer. Throughout his ill- by myself for a Shabbos meal in our our driving habits. Why not officially
ness and after he died, so many people in amazing community. change the laws to fit this new fashion of
Baltimore reached out to us. Jewish driving? They would be called “The
Caring Network brought us gifts, meals, HANNAH HELLER Twelve New Driving Rules of 2017” and
cleaning help and other things we never might look like this:
realized would make a difference. At the TO THE EDITOR, ◆ Drive backwards, the wrong way, on a
time of Craig’s death, our daughter was 12 Years ago, I had a child who was born one-way street.
and our son was 7. One of the most diffi-
28 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
