Community Magazine June 2014

82 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE INSPIRATION AMID SORROW RAPHAEL ELISHA COHEN ע”ה KELLY JEMAL MASSRY I n a voice laden with emotion, Linda Sadacka, a community member who galvanized a remarkable support network for Raphael Elisha and his family, described the last two months of Raphael Elisha’s life. She explained that the boy had one miraculous month, completely unprecedented, after a procedure administered by Dr. Gil Letterman called stereotactic radiosurgery. It was not meant to be curative, but it was hoped that the procedure would shrink the massive tumor - which was essentially a ticking time bomb - residing in Raphael’s head. Sure enough, after four treatments, the tumor shrank and Raphael - who previously couldn’t talk or use the left side of his body - was talking fluently and regaining body movement. Soon, he was off medication and was even using some fine motor skills. The family was elated over his rapid improvement. For that month, they lived in this dream state, ecstatic to have their boy back and to see their child returning. Then, quite suddenly, Raphael Elisha’s condition began to deteriorate. The doctors placed him in a medically induced coma from which he never awoke. Though the family tried everything - speaking to him, singing to him, even airing a recording made by one of his friends - Raphael remained without brain activity. The news of Raphael’s death was heartbreaking and has shaken people the world over. At the same time, however, we have so much to learn from this little boy’s life and the acts of goodness it elicited. Our community, for one, displayed unbelievable generosity to the Cohen family. “We did the best we could to lighten the burden on the family,” says Linda, “especially because Raphael’s needs were so constant. Not even minute to minute, but second to second.” For the three months that Raphael was in Columbia Presbyterian and the Cohen’s resided in Brooklyn, they had their every need taken care of. A team of volunteers saw to the family’s daily meals, a generous landlord gave them a home free of charge - which was then furnished by the team members - another kind soul ensured they had a car, Shaare Torah took the children in as students, and Linda’s husband, Dr. Sadacka, worked pro bono as the children’s pediatrician. Linda marvels at the outpouring of support from our community. “It’s heartwarming,” she enthuses. “We didn’t know them - they’re not from here. But they are Jewish, and that’s all it took.” Due to the tremendous amount of publicity generated by Raphael Elisha’s illness, the Cohen’s received hundreds upon hundreds of visitors during shiva. “He was everybody’s child,” Linda said. Everyone felt invested in his wellbeing. Case in point, on March 18th a global gathering of prayer and inspiraton in Raphael Elisha’s merit took place in Ahi Ezer and was broadcast to 450,000 people around the world. People participated from Mexico, Israel, Panama, Canada and other countries, reading Tehilim on the boy’s behalf. Special addresses were then delivered by Rabbi David Ozeri, Rabbi Meir Yedid, Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser and Rabbi Attieh-Mizrahi. It was a glorious day of hope and renewal - rife with the message that spiritual investment can bring about true and transformative change. In his short life, Raphael Elisha’s name became synonymous with repentance, prayer, unity and hesed . His lofty soul strengthened our community. So many people made positive changes in his merit. So many people gave of themselves and stretched their resources in unparalleled acts of hesed . The unity we exhibited as we banded together - first for the sake of Rafael’s petition, and then in a powerful day of prayer for his recovery - must have brought Hashem immense joy. Even as we mourn his passing, let us focus on these wonderful accomplishments, and continue performing mitzvot in memory of Raphael Elisha Meir ben Devorah. The community is also asked to pray for the recovery of Haim Shmuel ben Sarah, an eight-year-old boy from France who suffers from the same disease that took the life of Raphael Elisha, and is considered terminally ill. When we last reported on the story of Raphael Elisha Meir Cohen, the six-year-old Houstonian suffering from aggressive medulla blastoma, his Texas doctors had despaired, and a petition was circulating urging the FDA to approve an experimental treatment that could save him. A minimum of 100,000 signatures were needed for the plea to reach the White House and have a legitimate chance of being heeded. The petition went viral and our community was instrumental in securing the required signatures. Ultimately, the FDA indeed relented and granted approval for the treatment, but sadly, by then Raphael Elisha had gone brain dead. He remained that way for a month, returning his soul to his Maker on Hol Hamoed Pesach. His family immediately took his remains to Israel for burial. Linda Sadacka wishes to thank her tireless committee of volunteers, all of whom selflessly gave of themselves for the sake of Raphael Elisha and the Cohen family: Erica Azran, Esti Mosseri, Eva Shammah, Hannah Albo, Jennifer Tawil, Jessy Sasson, Jill Dushey, Kay Robyn Ashkenazie, Margo Levy, Pamela Massry, Pamela Sayeg, Rachel Giladi, Rachelle Safdie, Rita Bailey, Shifra Levy, Tamara Cohen, Vicky Sasson, Victoria Grazi, Edna Bazbaz and Jamie Assa.