Gavi was homeless. Could we take him in?

Chesed is in my DNA. All my family members are involved in kiruv, whether for Jews who are far from Yiddishkeit or those who are close but could use connection, a kind word, or a Shabbos meal. When I entered adulthood, I decided to channel my chesed into a career that helps frum Jews. I trained to become a Care Manager, a career that enables me to have a deeply meaningful impact on individuals who are struggling with physical, mental, or emotional needs.

Over the years, my caseload has included many challenged adults who need to be guided and assisted to truly flourish. Many of them have eventually been able to marry, and whenever I attend one of their chasunahs, I am overcome with emotion. It is extremely gratifying to play a small part in helping them reach this milestone.

Some clients you’ll never forget, and Gavi Cohen is one of them. I met him when he was just ten years old, after his mother had tragically passed away from a terminal illness. Although Gavi’s father truly wanted to care for his only son, he was unable to do so optimally, as he himself was struggling with mental illness. So I began searching for a placement for Gavi. Since no extended family members were able to take him in, I was determined to find the next best thing: a family who would understand Gavi’s autistic needs and care for him like one of their own.

Thankfully, within a short time, I found the Davids, a wonderful couple who had cared for struggling children for years. Since they had already married off their own children, they were able to give themselves fully to Gavi. Initially, they agreed to take him in for a year or two until his father stabilized and was able to parent his son properly. But that was not meant to be, as Mr. Cohen’s condition only deteriorated.

Years passed, and the Davids were still caring for Gavi, who had by now grown into a fine young man in his late teens. Though Gavi still struggled with autism and an intellectual disability, he was for the most part well-integrated into society.

The Davids were getting older, though, so I realized that we needed to start planning for Gavi’s future. Who would care for him when the Davids were no longer able to? I brought up the subject with Mr. Cohen and the Davids, but each time, they swatted away my suggestion and insisted that Gavi was in great hands.