Heaven Sent

Nominee: Our beloved new sister-in-law, Leah

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y sister Rifky passed away suddenly almost ten years ago. She was 25 at the time and left behind my three adorable nieces, ages five and under. For the first few years after Rifky’s passing, the children lived with their paternal grandmother, and we’re forever grateful to her for her incredible devotion.

Around four years ago, through an amazing turn of events, my brother-in-law met and married the amazing Leah!

Only Hashem in His infinite kindness could have orchestrated this miracle. Leah became, and is, a wonderful, loving mother to my nieces. Not a day goes by that we are not amazed by the good fortune of our brother-in-law and the girls. From day one, she always wanted them to know about my sister, their mother. Whenever she sends us pictures, we see my nieces’ faces shining with happiness. The girls feel so cared for — they know that Leah really loves them.

We’re always imagining how Rifky is thanking her profusely from Shamayim, and we know that Rifky would have loved her, which is the ultimate comfort to us. Whenever one of us is in the United States, Leah opens her home to us, inviting us for a meal, to sleep there, or go out. We really feel like sisters-in-law!

We love Leah and are so indebted to her. Since we live overseas, we’d love to gift her with a day of pampering, so that she can be treated — just as she deserves to be treated.

Mishpacha: 

Leah truly seems to be Heaven-sent, and the appreciation this group of sisters have for their new “sister-in-law” is touching.

So many wonderful businesses joined in making this special woman’s day:

Shaindy Klein from Blew Boutique said she’s honored to donate one thousand dollars to Leah to shop for a new wardrobe at Blew. “After all I’ve heard about Leah’s selflessness and devotion, she deserves to feel like a true queen. Blew is all about giving back to our loyal community, and is one of Monsey’s most beloved shops. We’re here to recognize this amazing woman.”

Feigy Mendlowitz of Hava Java shares that they opened the café to feed their customers the best meal they’ve had all day, whether they identify that as healthy or indulgent. “We want our customers to walk out and just say, ‘Aahh, that was amazing.’ So when we heard about Leah, who does amazing things every day, we wanted to grab this opportunity to do one small amazing thing for her: a full gift meal packaged beautifully and delivered straight to her door. We hope it makes her feel as special as she is.”

Esther from Delisse Spa shares: “I truly believe every woman deserves to be pampered, and I also believe that most women leave self-care as the last item on their to-do list. That’s why at Delisse Spa, we customize every treatment exactly to each woman’s needs. There’s a questionnaire to fill out, a consultation, and only then do our licensed technicians begin pampering you. When I heard about Leah, we immediately wanted to gift her with Delisse Spa specials to help her recharge, rejuvenate, and revel in some self-care.”

“When Mishpacha reached out to me about the sisters who nominated Leah, their brother-in-law’s new wife, it resonated so strongly,” says Rechy Rosenthal at Myself Lingerie. “I too lost a close family member and I could only imagine what a special person Leah must be, caring for her husband’s children with such courage and grace.

“At Myself, the motto stitched onto our uniforms is: ‘Self-care is not selfish.’ The core of our business is making all women feel beautiful, both inside and out. While our specialty is personal fittings, our stores stock an exclusive collection of loungewear, sleepwear, headwear, and swim. We recently launched Wrapped in a Bow, luxurious and cozy gifts you can order to make women feel extra special. In essence, it’s a hug in a box. We curate packages based on budget or the situation of the recipient. Packages can include a perfume, lotion, a throw blanket, Ugg slippers, pajamas, robes and so much more. It’s a package that makes a woman feel extra feminine, and extra cared for. As the tissue paper in the box says, ‘You got treated!’

“That’s exactly what we want to do. Treat all women and let them know they deserve to be pampered.”

In Focus

Nominee: My sister

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y sister has always struggled academically. For as long as I can remember, she had to work really hard to get through school. She’s gone to tutors, studied for hours and hours, and had to build up the confidence to approach teachers and principals to negotiate for modification. I remember times when she’d studied days in advance, pulled all-nighters and arranged for modified tests, only to fail.

How she managed to pull through and try again and again, I have no idea. No one can imagine the crushing feeling of receiving a test with a 42 percent scrawled on top, or better yet, no mark — just a “please see me.” She had to deal with her own continuous disappointment and let-downs and makeup tests that usually ended with similar results. Her occasional 70 percents became victories to celebrate!

Now that my sister is nearing the end of high school, I’d love to gift her with something she truly excels in. It would be her biggest dream come true to receive an advanced photography course and finally focus on something she loves.

–C.L.

Mishpacha:

Family first, indeed. This sister’s nomination was a beautiful snapshot of the loving bond the two sisters clearly share.

“When Mishpacha contacted me about donating a photography course to a girl who desperately wanted to become a photographer, I was excited to help,” says Devorie Zutler. “My entire business started with a chesed — a client requested that I give a photography class for Mekimi — and it evolved from there, with more and more girls and women expressing interest in learning photography. Eventually, other courses followed, including classes in studio lighting, newborn photography, Photoshop, and more.

“When I personally started out in photography 25 years ago, there was no frum photography course out there, and I literally was on my own trying to learn photography. I’m excited to fulfill this dream for this girl, as well as for so many other students who have now gone on to become photographers.”

The Focus Camera family says that Focus loves to give back. “We value community, we value hard work, and this young girl sounds like she embodies both. We’re happy to gift her with her very own camera and look forward to seeing where it takes her.”

Focus Camera was started back in 1966 and has been servicing the public’s photography needs with dedication and professionalism ever since. “We offer top notch brands, along with comprehensive guides, videos, and reviews. With storefronts in Brooklyn and Lakwood and an ever-growing online market, we’re proud to serve millions of customers worldwide, and we’re glad to add this young girl to the list of satisfied customers.”

Song from the Heart

Nominee: My friend Brachi

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rachi* made aliyah with her family three years ago. Within months of moving here, they received the devastating news: their teenage son had juvenile ALS. They temporarily returned to the US in order to join an experimental trial in Columbia University Hospital. While the treatment did initially delay the rapid deterioration that plagues juvenile ALS sufferers, by the summer of 2021 the treatment was no longer showing much positive effect, and they decided to return to Israel, where they could spend time with their married children and grandchildren.

Unfortunately, their son’s condition declined rapidly within weeks of their return, resulting in a series of long hospitalizations and a dreaded tracheostomy. Yoni* is no longer able to speak and now longs for outside company to come and make a matzav for him. For her part, Brachi’s life has become a whirlwind of medical crises and around-the-clock medical care. I’d love to welcome her back to Israel and make her day by organizing a family concert and dinner featuring Yoni’s favorite singer, Motty Steinmetz, so that the family could enjoy a day of musical memories and a delicious meal.

Brachi deserves to have her day made and see her son  happy.

Mishpacha:

What a difficult story about what sounds like a very special family.

As soon as we shared this story with Motty Steinmetz, he was on board. “I’ve visited many people with ALS,” Motty says. “Most of them were able to make a song request using the optical reader and a screen. I’ve seen that even those suffering in the worst grips of this illness can still make that basic human connection.

“The thing is to connect, to see what makes him happy,” Motty says. “I try to sing in order to uplift. It’s the music that does everything — the doctors even tell me that they usually see a change in blood counts after a child listens to music.”

As far as the meal, we knew just who to ask: Dovid Newman of Shabboskodesh.com, the first choice for anyone looking to order food in Jerusalem. But when  we asked him to cater the concert, he one-upped us, offering to send them a fully catered Shabbos Hagadol instead — a lifesaver for any busy Jewish woman, but especially Brachi, who’s juggling so much.

“Shabboskodesh.com exists to make people happy,” Dovid says. “We want more people laughing, smiling, and eating kugel. Whether that’s with Shabbos food, catered simchahs, feeding hungry yeshivah boys or our beloved weekly emails. When we heard about this special family, we knew we wanted to help out. Luckily we cook up the most delicious Shabbos food in Jerusalem!”

Sparkling Soul

Nominee: The world’s most dedicated preschool morah

Iwould like to nominate Morah Leah,* who’s been an extremely devoted assistant preschool morah for close to 20 years. She imparts such love and warmth to the kids.  You can always count on Morah Leah to be right on time, every single day. Her devotion to her job and commitment to the children is astounding. Any class that is lucky enough to have Morah Leah on board is ensured a well-run, organized environment.

Morah Leah has been a loving and warm presence for the hundreds of children she’s taught, pouring her heart into her job. She’s  always giving, always doing for others — and she  deserves to be pampered by someone else, at last. I think that a beautiful piece of jewelry would really make her day. I want her to know how much everyone appreciates and admires her.

Mishpacha:

Morah Leah sounds incredible! We turned to Allegra Fine Jewelry, which has locations in both Lakewood and Brooklyn, and has been in business for almost 30 years. Allegra has a beautiful, vast selection for the discerning customer. “We’re very happy and proud to show recognition to the dedicated people who are being mechanech our children and grandchildren,” say Nechama and Shani of Allegra. “Our families have been involved in chinuch for many decades and both of our husbands are currently rebbeim, so we certainly appreciate and understand the efforts and commitment involved.”

“Such a warm and loving morah deserves some warmth and pampering for herself,” says Rechy of Myself Lingerie, who donated a Wrapped in Bow gift package containing a cozy Ugg throw with soothing bath bombs.

Home Away From Home

Nominee: Our incredible landlord

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ur landlord is like a surrogate mother to us. Living so far from our parents is tough enough; add a language barrier and it makes us all the more appreciative of our landlord’s strong integrity and pleasant demeanor throughout all our interactions and dealings. Our rental apartment itself is beautiful and a mirror of her own, and she tends to it with dedication and love.

We’ve always been aware of her prestigious husband’s early onset dementia, but we only became more aware of it as it slipped into our phone conversations more and more when we inquire as to how she is doing. Recently, he’s declined in speech and locomotion to the point that she had to relocate him to a nursing home nearby, a move that is devastating for her.

As she put it, “I’m his queen and he’s my king, and now what?”

We see her climb the three flights home each day — weary, but buoyed by her steadfast emunah. By nature a giver, she’s told us that her teaching career is what keeps her going. And her students aren’t the only ones who learn from her — we do, too, each day.

She has invested so much into giving us a beautiful and pleasant home; we’d love to do the same for her in return.

Mishpacha:

It’s not often that we hear tenants speak about their landlord in such glowing terms, and we knew we needed to learn more — and see how we could recognize this amazing woman.

Since we know, firsthand, the healing power of the written word, we reached out to Shanky’s, Israel’s favorite bookstore, with amazing prices, wonderful service, and a vast selection with a dedicated base of loyal customers. “We want our customers to come back again and again, and we deliver the service that makes sure they do. We love to give back to the community we service,” says owner Meir Weiner. “Our customers always tell us what a difference a good book, new sefer, or beautiful siddur can make in their lives, and we’re so happy to be part of this amazing project.”

Our next step was to see how we could improve this amazing woman’s apartment.

“We transform your shopping into a wonderful experience. People needed someone who spoke the language, literally and figuratively, and we quickly filled the void,” says Yehudis Markstein, owner of Appliance Direct, which has been serving the English speaking community in Israel for over two decades.

“We take every detail  into account when planning  air conditioning systems and major appliances for your home, and we provide a full range from standard to exclusive products. Your dream is our challenge — and we turn it into a reality by bridging the gap between the architects, interior designers, apartment managers, and of course the client. We know our products, and people appreciate our years of experience. Customer service is our number-one value.

“So many people just need a little pampering, and when the opportunity for chesed lands on your doorstep, it’s so wonderful to be able to partake,” Yehudis adds. “Especially now, with all our Pesach sales, we hope this gift certificate will take this  special woman very far.”

Rein-ing Supreme

Nominee: My friend Yael 

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y friend Yael and her husband have suffered their share of challenges. They’ve both invested so much to overcome difficult childhoods. They face their struggles alone with very little family support. Yael does everything she can to be strong for her kids and create a healthy and happy home.

One of her children was terribly bullied and is currently really struggling. She has a lot of anger and is hurting very badly. Although she’s so young, she’s become very defiant and began questioning Yiddishkeit. As a mother, Yael is doing everything in her capacity to help her. One of the professionals she’s working with thought that horseback riding would be a great way to release the pain and trauma, but Yael is spending so much money on other necessities to keep her family afloat that she just can’t spend money she doesn’t have on this “extra.”

Throughout this difficult journey, Yael steels herself with unwavering strength, emunah, and bitachon. She’s an inspiration to me and to all who know her.

I would love for her to receive sponsored horseback riding for her daughter without having to further strain her very limited budget.

Mishpacha: 

We were so moved by Yael’s strength and dedication to her family — and we immediately knew who we wanted to partner with: Calmin’ Ground, whose branding journey was showcased in our magazine.

And we were right: Calmin’ Ground came aboard right away, offering free horseback riding lessons and a free Chol Hamoed trip for the entire family, where the family can enjoy hayrides, a petting zoo, and horses. Yossi Lowenstein from Calmin’ Ground Farm shares: “The idea of sharing resources you have is a great one — it adds a different element when you give from what you’re busy with all day. When it comes to helping, we’ll put in all the extra effort necessary. We hope the riding lessons and Chol Hamoed activity will really assist this family; it’s our pleasure to give and we look forward to meeting them.”

“We work with so many children who have goals they want to reach,” Yossi adds. “Everyones goes at their own pace, and we — and our animals — are here to help.”

Grace and Giving

Nominee: My aunt

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y aunt injured her leg over ten years ago, at a young age. Since then, she’s been battling a chronic nerve-pain condition that developed as a result of the fall. I’ve watched her struggle and suffer in constant pain, travel all over the country as well as internationally for treatment, all the while caring about her friends, family, and everyone around her so much. The pain is so excruciating that she can’t put weight on her leg, so she’s wheelchair-bound and bedridden. On top of that, summers are even extra tougher since she can’t tolerate air conditioning, because her nerves are sensitive to any vibrations from motors. That sensitivity also makes it impossible for her to travel.

Even though she’s dealing with so, so much, she volunteers to help others in need.

A year ago she moved out of town to a quieter environment, more conducive for her condition. While her condition has improved somewhat, she is still bedridden, wheelchair-bound, and in pain. She hasn’t been able to celebrate her birthdays or Yamim Tovim, Purim, and Chanukah parties with the family, bar mitzvahs, brissim, or close family simchahs.

I would love to give her a special day, full of pampering, care, and joy. She’s suffered so much with such grace, and I would love for her to receive an oasis of enjoyment in the midst of her pain.

Mishpacha:

Fradie sounds like one in a million. To endure such circumstances with not only grace, but to retain her sense of kindness and giving… we knew we had to turn to Shaindy Plotzker, a popular female singer with hits like, “Ah-Yay,” “Never Alone,” “Holding On,” and so much more under her belt.

“The whole reason that we do what we do is so that we can give to others and that’s always been the goal behind what I do — we’re in this world to give to each other.” Shaindy shares. “I’m just a regular girl with a voice, a dream, and an slight excess of energy — but I know that the whole reason that Hashem gives us our strengths and kochos is specifically for this — so that we can use them to make the world a better place in whatever way we can. I used to think that a music career can be a self-focused profession, but I’ve learned that it’s actually the opposite! My close friend, Shimi Adar, is someone who has shown me this and was really the push behind my decision to go out and pursue a music career. And I love every minute of it. It’s the most beautiful way to reach people, warm each other’s hearts, and connect in the most unbelievably magical way. I thank Mishpacha for granting me this opportunity and connecting me with such an amazing woman.

“I really hope to brighten Fradie’s day, but the truth is that I know she will really be the one to brighten mine, because when we think we are giving, we are truly receiving so much more.”

Fraidy Reichberg from Perfection Beauty was so happy to gift this woman with a spa day from their upstate location. “Our salon is the first of its kind in the Catskills — our main branch is located in Monsey — and it’s a one-stop beauty shop that offers everything from facials to manicures to wig sales. Come with a friend, order a salad, get a massage. Our industry is based off helping women feel beautiful and pampered. We view this as a necessity, not an extra. To give someone the opportunity to experience that in the comfort of their own home was a no-brainer for us.”

“We can always customize the perfect gift to any customer’s needs,” says Rechy of Myself Lingerie. “With this woman’s chronic pain, and since she’s bedridden, I thought a cozy Ugg throw and comfy pair of socks would warm up her dream day.”

Enduring Legacy

Nominee: My mother

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y mother is a very special woman. She is the unrivaled Queen of Emunah and Bitachon, as anyone who knows her will readily attest. In the journey of life, my parents have weathered a lot of storms, but no matter how engulfing the waves, they always stay afloat, holding on fiercely to the anchor of emunah with unwavering strength.

My parents have had to deal with much sorrow and many terrible blows to the family — the petirah of a young married daughter, the petirah of an even younger son-in-law, and other hardships.

When you meet my mother, it’s hard to believe that she’s been through so much, and not because she is putting on a facade. She acknowledges her pain and lives with it, but she knows with a tremendous conviction that this too is for the good, that it’s all from Hashem, and she manages to pass that on to us children and to the people around her.

My mother is an unsung hero. We want to gift her with something exclusively for her, something that she would never otherwise treat herself to, to show her our ever-growing admiration and appreciation.

My mother is the daughter of lone Holocaust survivors. We recently  came across a stash of handwritten letters that her parents wrote. The letters, which date from the 1940s, are written in Hungarian. Although my mother picked up some Hungarian from her parents, it’s not enough to be able to make out the contents of these long and heartfelt letters. We would love to get them professionally translated, retyped, and perhaps bound in a designed booklet as a tremendously meaningful gift to my mother.

These letters were written by my grandparents in the aftermath of the Holocaust, on soil that was still burning beneath their feet. They are undoubtedly filled with messages of emunah and bitachon, with messages of encouragement to each other and to others, giving us a window into the greatness of those who rebuilt after the war with so much faith. This will surely be a most meaningful gift to my mother, a symbol of faith through the generations, an enduring connection to her parents.

Mishpacha:

What an inspirational story — and what an inspirational woman. This tale is true testimony to the power of the written word and how it can impart values, share a family history, and touch lives — powers that we’re very familiar with at Mishpacha magazine. We’re honored to give this family the Mishpacha treatment. Her letters will be ably translated by Dovid Wachsler, then edited and laid out so that this family can have a written copy of their eternal legacy.

The First Lady

Nominee: My friend

I’ve had the privilege of getting to know R.W., whose husband has been suffering from ALS for 17 years now. I have no words to describe her courage, her strength, her simchas hachayim, staunch emunah and bitachon. I call her the “First Lady,” and she is one  in every sense of the word.

I would love to treat her to a break in her very busy routine, to gift her with a spa day to help her take a pause in her hectic life.

Mishpacha:

We can’t imagine the steel this woman is made of, juggling so much for 17 years and counting. But we’d love to give her a day wrapped in the softest silk —  so we turned to Sylk Spa, Monsey’s best-kept secret. Sylk offers an oasis of calm and tranquillity amid the bustling suburb. People come for the extremely professional massage therapist, but stay for the completely private outdoor hot tub, steam room, refreshments, relaxation room, and more.

“When clients enter our spa, they leave behind the stressors and pains of the outside world,” says Chaya Leah Greenberg of Sylk Spa. “They’re transported to a place of peace and tranquillity. It’s beautiful, it’s relaxing, it has all the amazing amenities of a full spa. And since it’s so completely private, it offers a complete escape from day-to-day stresses. If that’s something we can give over to this incredible woman, it would be our honor. We’d love to gift her and two friends with massages and a full spa day.”

Dear Mommy

Nominee: Mommy

Mishpacha:

I think all of us melted when we read Avrumi’s heartfelt note. And what a great older sister he has, to help him sit down to write a note to show hakaras hatov to their mom!

Ruthie Levy of Simplifized was excited to be able to give to this special mom. “It’s a zechus for me to help this woman, who is a mother in every sense of her being. I can’t imagine the effort it takes to raise a large family along with a child with special needs. We already discussed what we’re going to do, and I know it’s really going to help maintain order and functionality in their home, keeping things simple and streamlined. This will assist her in continuing to be the calm, present mother her son so aptly describes.”

Ruthie has been organizing since 2013 and loves what she does; organizing is a passion of hers. “And there’s no specific client or job that I look for, any range is right for organizing. I also train organizers; I live in Lakewood but have organizers in Monsey, Brooklyn, and beyond.

“Well-organized closets are a busy mom’s dream and I’m excited to share that with Avrumi’s mom.”

A Crown for Her Head

Nominee: My amazing mother

MYmother is a remarkable woman. She lost her husband to cancer six years ago, and is raising a family of ten on her own. Not only does she ably complete this task — all on her own, never expecting any applause — she does it with a constant positive outlook.

This past spring my mother accidentally threw out a bag with two sheitels, one of them purchased only a few months previously. When she realized what had happened, she immediately began to laugh — and it’s with this laughter that we all were told the “hilarious” news. We all viewed this as the funniest story. But when we repeated it to family and friends, they all looked at us in horrified disbelief.

Because of our mother’s tendency to see the bright side of things, we saw this story in the same light she did. But to people who hadn’t been exposed to my mother’s constant optimism, it seemed like a catastrophe. This story really brought home the unique strength my mother possesses: the ability to look at the good and transfer this attitude onto her children.

Mommy, now is the time for your standing ovation.

Mishpacha:

If anyone deserves to look and feel special this Yom Tov, it’s this incredible woman. Her children obviously agree, and when we asked which company could provide us with a top-of-the-line wig, everyone recommended we turn to Zissy Wigs of Boro Park.

“Our main focus at Zissy’s is sensitivity to women,” shares owner Zissy Reiner, who generously agreed to gift this woman with a stunning new sheitel. “It’s a balancing act sometimes, listening to a woman direct you on a cut and color, yet understanding that she’s really sharing with you  something else entirely. But no matter what they’re going through or have been through, at the end of the day, they walk out of our salon feeling beautiful. And that’s what we want to give to this strong woman. It’s time to put the focus on her. We scheduled her in for after hours — she works from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. supporting her family — and we’re going to ensure that she looks like a queen this Yom Tov. We want to go the extra mile for her; she deserves it. We pride ourselves on our customer service — we don’t outsource anything and everything is done on our premises. It’s a one-stop-shop for a beautiful sheitel, and we’re so excited for this mom to benefit and look her very best.”

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 789)