Page 40 - issue
P. 40
CONNECTING THROUGH LINKSby Judy Landman interspersed in between. We have mended
oming home from a Shabbos in a piece of the hole in the broken hearts of
Lakewood several years ago, my our girls, and of ourselves as well.
husband was listening to a CD to
stay awake and serendipitously Tragically, the pain of parental loss has
found out about the LINKS not stopped, and we need to start a broth-
er group for the boys in this town and our
C organization. On this CD, Rabbi neighboring Silver Spring. Each girl and
still feel the pain of their loss and wanted each boy has a sad story, and although we
to reach out to those suffering now. The can never change that story, nor fill that
response was beautiful and heart wrench- hole of losing a Mommy and Daddy, which
ing and made me realize how much we all is a “forever nisayon,” we can infuse these
desire to give. Mrs. Faigy Rabinowitz, a young lives with hope, help, and the com-
licensed professional counselor, was one fort of being with others who know and
of those women, and she was in total understand. This is where Baltimore
LINKS and the JCN, with the support of
Pesach Krohn was giving chizuk agreement with the idea that this special the Baltimore community, steps in and
helps start a new chapter from the midst
to LINKS girls. Rabbi Krohn is organization had to come here. She was of the current of painful one.
one of the rabbanim involved with LINKS, teaching or had taught students who had In closing, we ask that you open your
already open heart and donate to this
an organization that helps teens who have lost a parent; she saw the great need for kind and vital organization, so that it can
continue to lighten the lives and loads of
lost a parent. It was this shiur that was the the group and wanted to take an active those in need. At this point, our group for
girls, Sara’s House, is up and running, and
impetus for bringing LINKS to Baltimore part in doing something. The “something” we would like to launch the boys group,
Yaakov’s Club, as well. In order to make
to help those of us who, as children, turned into SOMETHING, and slowly, this happen, we are looking for serious
and dedicated adult male mentors who
endured the traumatic experience of the slowly, with baby steps, under the nurtur- have lost a parent and who are as passion-
ate about this as we are.
death of a parent. ing and patient guidance of the Jewish
We thank the Jewish Caring Network
When I relocated to Baltimore in the Caring Network (JCN), Baltimore LINKS, not only for what they do – their myriad
chasadim in helping families dealing with
early 1980s, after the petira of my father, or BLINKS, was born. Not just a catchy terminal illness – but also for how they do
it: with sensitivity and attention to every
Baltimore was a much smaller and more name, this acronym is our slogan for our detail. In addition, we would like to
acknowledge all the businesses and indi-
closely-knit community, where everyone belief in yeshuas Hashem keheref ayin: viduals who are involved.
knew each other and helped each other. Hashem’s salvation comes in the blink of As Pesach approaches, and we cele-
brate the Yom Tov of chag kosher
B”H, they continue to do so! Yet, despite an eye. vesameach, please take the time to
remember those who might only have a
the closeness and amazing support of What turned out to be a conversation limited part of that “sameach” and play an
instrumental role in bringing joy to the
friends, family, neighbors, and schools, a over a coffee and bagel turned into a well- lives of those who sorely need it.
general awareness and sensitivity was received and productive endeavor. It is our sincere hope and tefila that we
will no longer need organizations like
missing, not to mention resources. I think Together with the New York branch, we BLINKS, and instead be reunited with our
loved ones, bekarov (soon) with bias
I could count on one hand how many are able to connect to those with that Hamashiach (the coming of the
Messiah).◆
other people were in my shoes. For a missing link locally and elsewhere. LINKS
To reach Baltimore LINKS, please email
teenager, especially, it can be quite painful New York sends a quarterly magazine to BLINKS@jewishcaringnetwork.org, or call
Mrs. Faigy Rabinowitz at 410-961-2373 or
to grow up with the feeling that “no one over 700 people across the globe. They Mrs. Judy Landman at 410-733-6171.
understands” while also having to main- also have a hotline with several menu
tain the facade that “everything is fine.” So, options offering divrei chizuk, divrei Torah,
naturally, when I heard about LINKS, I continuing shiruim on topics related to
made it my mission to find out more and loss and struggle, personal stories from
to somehow bring this organization to the girls themselves, and practical classes
Baltimore. on how to run a home. These are all
LINKS was started in 2006 by Mrs. things that BLINKS girls are a part of as
Sarah Rivkah Kohn, who herself lost her well. In addition to the various exciting
mother at the age of nine. It is run today activities throughout the year, the piece de
by women who all suffered the loss of a resistance is the grand Shabbaton, in
parent at a young age, and receives which girls from all over the world spend
hadracha (guidance) from Gedolim who two-and-a-half days together in a beautiful
have lost a parent as well. The founding hotel with world-renowned speakers, ther-
principles of LINKS, as taken from its apists, and rabbanim. We laugh, we cry,
brochure, state that they “treat every girl and we get hadracha, while leaning on
with dignity and respect...LINKS aims to each other in the way that only peer sup-
provide services to every teenage girl who port can provide.
lost a parent, in a way that is tailor-made Here in Baltimore, we have our cele-
for her…” and this is something that bratory anniversary Chanukah party, a
Baltimore LINKS adheres to as well. totally fun annual summer party, shiurim,
After I wrote my initial article, I was coffee-cry-and-shmooze sessions, one-on-
flooded with phone calls from adult one time with rabbanim, gifts for Yom Tov,
women, some already grandmothers, who and other activities and get-togethers
32 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
oming home from a Shabbos in a piece of the hole in the broken hearts of
Lakewood several years ago, my our girls, and of ourselves as well.
husband was listening to a CD to
stay awake and serendipitously Tragically, the pain of parental loss has
found out about the LINKS not stopped, and we need to start a broth-
er group for the boys in this town and our
C organization. On this CD, Rabbi neighboring Silver Spring. Each girl and
still feel the pain of their loss and wanted each boy has a sad story, and although we
to reach out to those suffering now. The can never change that story, nor fill that
response was beautiful and heart wrench- hole of losing a Mommy and Daddy, which
ing and made me realize how much we all is a “forever nisayon,” we can infuse these
desire to give. Mrs. Faigy Rabinowitz, a young lives with hope, help, and the com-
licensed professional counselor, was one fort of being with others who know and
of those women, and she was in total understand. This is where Baltimore
LINKS and the JCN, with the support of
Pesach Krohn was giving chizuk agreement with the idea that this special the Baltimore community, steps in and
helps start a new chapter from the midst
to LINKS girls. Rabbi Krohn is organization had to come here. She was of the current of painful one.
one of the rabbanim involved with LINKS, teaching or had taught students who had In closing, we ask that you open your
already open heart and donate to this
an organization that helps teens who have lost a parent; she saw the great need for kind and vital organization, so that it can
continue to lighten the lives and loads of
lost a parent. It was this shiur that was the the group and wanted to take an active those in need. At this point, our group for
girls, Sara’s House, is up and running, and
impetus for bringing LINKS to Baltimore part in doing something. The “something” we would like to launch the boys group,
Yaakov’s Club, as well. In order to make
to help those of us who, as children, turned into SOMETHING, and slowly, this happen, we are looking for serious
and dedicated adult male mentors who
endured the traumatic experience of the slowly, with baby steps, under the nurtur- have lost a parent and who are as passion-
ate about this as we are.
death of a parent. ing and patient guidance of the Jewish
We thank the Jewish Caring Network
When I relocated to Baltimore in the Caring Network (JCN), Baltimore LINKS, not only for what they do – their myriad
chasadim in helping families dealing with
early 1980s, after the petira of my father, or BLINKS, was born. Not just a catchy terminal illness – but also for how they do
it: with sensitivity and attention to every
Baltimore was a much smaller and more name, this acronym is our slogan for our detail. In addition, we would like to
acknowledge all the businesses and indi-
closely-knit community, where everyone belief in yeshuas Hashem keheref ayin: viduals who are involved.
knew each other and helped each other. Hashem’s salvation comes in the blink of As Pesach approaches, and we cele-
brate the Yom Tov of chag kosher
B”H, they continue to do so! Yet, despite an eye. vesameach, please take the time to
remember those who might only have a
the closeness and amazing support of What turned out to be a conversation limited part of that “sameach” and play an
instrumental role in bringing joy to the
friends, family, neighbors, and schools, a over a coffee and bagel turned into a well- lives of those who sorely need it.
general awareness and sensitivity was received and productive endeavor. It is our sincere hope and tefila that we
will no longer need organizations like
missing, not to mention resources. I think Together with the New York branch, we BLINKS, and instead be reunited with our
loved ones, bekarov (soon) with bias
I could count on one hand how many are able to connect to those with that Hamashiach (the coming of the
Messiah).◆
other people were in my shoes. For a missing link locally and elsewhere. LINKS
To reach Baltimore LINKS, please email
teenager, especially, it can be quite painful New York sends a quarterly magazine to BLINKS@jewishcaringnetwork.org, or call
Mrs. Faigy Rabinowitz at 410-961-2373 or
to grow up with the feeling that “no one over 700 people across the globe. They Mrs. Judy Landman at 410-733-6171.
understands” while also having to main- also have a hotline with several menu
tain the facade that “everything is fine.” So, options offering divrei chizuk, divrei Torah,
naturally, when I heard about LINKS, I continuing shiruim on topics related to
made it my mission to find out more and loss and struggle, personal stories from
to somehow bring this organization to the girls themselves, and practical classes
Baltimore. on how to run a home. These are all
LINKS was started in 2006 by Mrs. things that BLINKS girls are a part of as
Sarah Rivkah Kohn, who herself lost her well. In addition to the various exciting
mother at the age of nine. It is run today activities throughout the year, the piece de
by women who all suffered the loss of a resistance is the grand Shabbaton, in
parent at a young age, and receives which girls from all over the world spend
hadracha (guidance) from Gedolim who two-and-a-half days together in a beautiful
have lost a parent as well. The founding hotel with world-renowned speakers, ther-
principles of LINKS, as taken from its apists, and rabbanim. We laugh, we cry,
brochure, state that they “treat every girl and we get hadracha, while leaning on
with dignity and respect...LINKS aims to each other in the way that only peer sup-
provide services to every teenage girl who port can provide.
lost a parent, in a way that is tailor-made Here in Baltimore, we have our cele-
for her…” and this is something that bratory anniversary Chanukah party, a
Baltimore LINKS adheres to as well. totally fun annual summer party, shiurim,
After I wrote my initial article, I was coffee-cry-and-shmooze sessions, one-on-
flooded with phone calls from adult one time with rabbanim, gifts for Yom Tov,
women, some already grandmothers, who and other activities and get-togethers
32 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
