Community Magazine June 2016

40 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE nothing were given their respect and identity back. The obvious camaraderie they shared with one another touched a place deep inside of us. Mrs. Zeidenfeld introduced us to eleven-year-old Malchut. A close friend of Batya’s, Malchut arrived at Girls Town with her sister, Iska, when her father could no longer afford to keep them. Instantly, she captivated us with her sweet smile and personality, and we resolved to become her sponsors until, Gd willing, her marriage. I just had one request of Mrs. Zeidenfeld: I wanted her to ensure that Iska, Malchut’s younger sister, would be next on the list to be sponsored, so she should not feel badly. Upon our arrival, there was evidently some kind of celebration taking place in the form of a skit put on by the girls and a special lunch. Incredibly, it was Batya’s Bat Mitzvah that day, and the festivities were in her honor! Recognizing the hand of Hashem, I emotionally reached for the Habers’ necklace and offered it to Batya. She smiled from ear to ear as she fastened it around her neck. What cherished moments these were! Since our original visit, my wife and I have sent Malchut photos and a letter saying how much we miss her and how much we anticipate seeing her again soon. We feel privileged to have established a relationship with Malchut. Rabbi Joey Haber On the last day of that original trip, we wanted to visit “our” Batya once more. We obtained permission to take her out for 45 minutes. Dodging raindrops, I asked her where we would find the nearest candy shop. “I don’t know,” Batya replied simply. This poor girl has never been to a candy store! I realized with a pang. In fact, she’d never had reason to traverse any of the main streets with their large shops, as she’d never possessed so much as ten shekels in her pocket. We somehow reached the store and watched with delight as Batya hoarded loads of candy from the canisters. “Share it with your friends,” we urged her as she grasped her plastic bag tightly. We then proceeded to the bookstore where she chose a beautiful siddur, which we had monogrammed. She clutched the precious item, and we exchanged promises to pray for one another. My wife hugged her some five more times before we parted. Over these last few months, my wife, my children and I have been sending our love to Batya via letters, photos, small gifts and candy packages. My daughter took her on an outing once when she was in Israel. On our repeated trips to Israel, we have had the opportunity to visit her, too. Ultimately, we have become really close. Mr. Allan Massry Parting the facility was, to say the least, difficult. When we returned home, Danielle and I received unfortunate news that a family member was suffering from pancreatic cancer, r”l . I immediately thought to contact Rabbi Goldstein, of Girls Town, to request that the girls say Tehillim as a merit for a refuah shelemah . I knew instinctively that Hashem would surely heed the prayers of those pure and innocent girls. They galvanized into action, reciting Tehillim for our family member daily. Thank Gd, we are already noticing signs of improvement. Spontaneously, our ill family member’s spouse and children went to Girls Town and presented them with a sizable donation in gratitude for what they have done. Parenthetically, I recently suggested to a cousin of mine that she visit Girls Town. Later, she texted me about her special experience: “Guess what? Everything I tried to do on my itinerary for today didn’t work out, so we went to the orphanage. Now I know why my day went wrong; I was meant to be HERE today!” Rabbi Joey Haber and Allan Massry. Batya, Malchut, and friends Bat-Mitzvah photo. Batya and Malchut Closet of stuffed toys.