The following is a moving and personal account from a content writer whose job is to research and retell the stories of those who have lost their lives to COVID-19. She writes under the alias ‘Sari.’ It is never an easy job, but the last few weeks have been particularly challenging. She has immersed herself in the family pictures and devastating funeral videos of those who have passed, looking for ways to best convince readers to help. Faced with the task of raising money for another grieving family, she gives a glimpse into her work:
“Hashem, how much more can we take?
These ae the questions I ask myself as I scroll through the names of the neshamos lost to COVID-19. I’ll be honest with you, because right now we are all going through a difficult time, and I think that we need to be honest with each other: The other day there was a conversation on my local Whatsapp group about people who aren’t taking the restrictions seriously. Someone chimed in to say that it’s ‘not a big deal,’ that it is ‘just like the flu,’ that her sister and her family had it and that ‘sure, some people died.’ She meant to comfort those who are scared but she failed to catch the deep and painful flaw in her logic.
As we look into the eyes of the incredible people who have passed, who left this world without family to comfort them, it is impossible to say such things. “Some people” are our rabbanim, “some people” are our mothers and fathers, “some people” … are people like Rebbetzin Baila Porush.
Rebbetzin Porush, mother of 6, had a very challenging life. Yet, in her family’s words, she always ‘accepted her yissurim with love.’ She would travel to all of the holy places of Eretz Yisroel regularly, to pray. She had a rich spiritual life, she was beloved by many, and at the center of her life were 6 beautiful children.
Yesterday, the Rebbetzin was fighting COVID-19 and feeling generally fine. She was not on a respirator and her family didn’t feel they had any cause for alarm. In just a half an hour, her condition deteriorated, and she was gone. Now, their son is in critical condition with the virus. Last night, Rav Porush said his hesped from the inside of an ambulance.
These are the faces of COVID-19. These are not just ‘some people.’
Now they are alone. And I pray with all of my heart that you will help them to move forward. If after all of this they would go hungry, it would be a tragedy.
Hope you are holding on. Don’t stop davening.
Sari”
Money is being raised for Rebbetzin Porush’s family here for a limited time.
CLICK HERE SEE THE FULL CAMPAIGN
