Rebbetzin Chave Hecht, (Chava bas Esther Leah) who is recognized by thousands of Jewish women and girls worldwide as the director of Camp Emunah, suffered a stroke this past Shabbos morning, Ninth of Av, at Camp Emunah. Rebbetzin Hecht is the longest known director of any Jewish girl’s camp in the world and has touched countless lives. She (together with, יבדל בין חיים לחיים, her husband Rabbi J.J. Hecht ob”m) has led Camp Emunah with love and devotion – under the leadership of the Lubavitcher Rebbe – these past 67 years.
Her doctors in the hospital are describing her current condition as “stable”. She is conscious and responsive. The doctors advise that they can and are monitoring the situation. However, they acknowledge that, in such situations, medical science does not yet have medicinal treatment. They advise that the initial 72 hours after a stroke are the crucial hours, in which the body has the potential to heal some of the damage caused by a stroke and, barring any further damage, to regain mobility and speech etc. to one degree or another (through recuperation and rehabilitation).
The doctors agree that, for this, the best medicine are our Tefilos. And we know that our Tefilos have the power not only to bring healing from on high but have the power to accomplish miracles as well!
On this same Shabbos Chazon 46 years ago (several months before the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War) the Lubavitcher Rebbe spoke at length about the power of Torah, Tefilla and Tzedakah of children. The Rebbe elaborated on the statement of Chazal (Shabbos 119B):
אמר ריש לקיש משום רבי יהודה נשיאה אין העולם מתקיים אלא בשביל הבל תינוקות של בית רבן … הבל שאין בו חטא (The world continues to exist only in the merit of the breath (that comes from the mouths) of schoolchildren (i.e. the words of Torah they utter as they study) … breath that does not contain (the taint of) sin (see Artscroll translation and commentary there).
The Rebbe added that, although this statement is brought in an Aggadic portion of the Talmud, it is applied to Halachah! [regarding school tuition – see שו”ע הרב הל’ ת”ת פ”א ה”ג].
In the course of that Farbrengen, the Rebbe invited the children (boys and girls under Bar & Bas Mitzvah) to come up to the podium and proceeded to personally pour for each one a L’Chaim.
Rebbetzin Hecht fully believes in the power of our children! She has devoted her life to them! In light of the above, the family of Rebbetzin Hecht and the staff and children at Camp Emunah are reaching out to you to use this opportunity that is unique to the summer months, when children are gathered together, and ask them (especially during the coming days) to use their special strength to Daven for this wonderful and unique woman (Chava bas Esther Leah) for a full and speedy recovery. May Hashem hear our prayers and may we hear good news soon.
Dear Jewish children the world over:
Please make special prayers for Rebbetzin Chava Hecht (Chava bas Esther Leah) who has been director of Camp Emunah girls’ camps these past 67 years.
She was taken from Camp Emunah to a hospital this past Shabbos morning, Ninth of Av. Rebbetzin Hecht fully believes in the power of the Tefilos and Torah learning of you children! She knows that your sincere efforts have the power to accomplish miracles and to come before the Kisei haKavod and awaken Hashem’s mercy and bring her a full recovery. Please, Kinderlech, devote your hearts and minds in the coming days to learn Torah and do additional acts of Tzedakah for this wonderful woman who has devoted her life to children in Jewish camps.
Thanking you from the depths of our hearts,
Family of Rebbetzin Hecht and staff and children at Camp Emunah
The “ real deal” !!!
Refua Shlema now !
What a Special lady!!! A tzedekes! Wishing Rebbetzin Hecht a Refuah shelayma bekrova!
she is such a special lady. may she have a speedy recovery!
May we hear the news of a complete and speedy recovery for this very special tzadeikes.
wishing Reb. Hecht all the brochos ! a speedy recovery!
I loved my years in Camp Emunah, so do my daughters. I know that Rebbetzin Hecht is the one who makes it all possible. May Hashem see her many merits and grant her a complete Refuah Sheleima so she can continue to lead the next generation of Lubavich girls by love an example of what a true Bas Chabad and bas Yisroel is!
Please Hashem, May she have a quick and speedy refuah shlaymah!!!
B”H
Refuah sheleima b’karov l’Rabbanit Chava bas Esther Leah!
Are there any updates known or available about her condition now? Any improvements?
I will say Tehillim, and our community will daven for her