By Rabbi Chaim Kaminker – Director of Keren Yeshua
Four years ago, our beloved son Shua, a”h —a bright, fun-loving, curious boy who loved school and cherished his friends —passed away after over two years of grueling treatments and hospitalizations. Throughout that painful time, he and our entire family found strength in the incredible support of Shua’s school, family, friends, and the broader community. This profound sense of belonging, this embrace, carried us through.
Emerging from this experience, we felt a deep calling: to create a legacy from Shua’s too-short life and express our gratitude to the community that embraced us.
That is how Keren Yeshua came to be. In Shua’s memory, we founded Keren Yeshua to help children and families feel supported and achieve a sense of belonging as they navigate the challenges of keeping a child in the Yeshiva system despite financial, educational, or emotional struggles.
Imagine being a single father of three children, told that his children cannot return to Yeshiva unless tuition is paid— despite his most valiant efforts, an expense he simply cannot afford. Imagine his sleepless nights, haunted by the relentless ruminations: “How did I get here?” and “What will I do?”
Imagine a mother whose second-grade son is denied a return to school because he cannot read. Even worse, she doesn’t understand why he can’t read. Imagine her anguish as she struggles to hold down a job with her young child home alone. How will she put food on the table if she doesn’t work?
Imagine a teenager forced into public school due to behavioral challenges stemming from ADHD. Imagine the weight of his parents’ disappointment pressing on his young shoulders. He longs to be in Yeshiva with his friends, but his impulses feel beyond his control.
Imagine a 14-year-old boy whose father is gravely ill. He knows he has learning disabilities but is determined to succeed and willing to do whatever it takes to build a better future. Imagine his frustration navigating the complexities of finding the right school for his needs, mostly on his own.
This week, we invite you to step into the shoes of these children and families to imagine their pain, their struggles, and their longing for a solution. Next week, we look forward to sharing how, in less than two years since its founding, Keren Yeshua and its dedicated team of mental health and educational professionals have lovingly EMBRACED these families—along with more than 30 others—devoting the time, energy, care, and expertise needed to understand their challenges and guide them toward a future where their children can thrive in Jewish education.
Next week also marks a significant milestone—Shua’s bar mitzvah week. In his honor, we are launching our very first crowdfunding campaign. A group of exceptionally generous donors has come together to ensure that every dollar raised will be doubled. Heartwarmingly, Shua’s classmates have banded together to honor his legacy by becoming team leaders to help us reach our goal of $250,000, allowing us to JOYFULLY EMBRACE and support twice as many families in the coming year.
If you can imagine these families’ pain, please JOIN OUR EMBRACE by donating to charidy.com/JoinOurEmbrace.
