Recently [after this letter was written] there have been mounting medical [she has a baby son with very serious medical issues] and other expenses she needs help with. Please-please-please help.
Shaaallooommmmm swwweeetest and most beloved friends!
Would you like to save the hostages from the hands of the barbaric Hamas? Sadly, that is not within our physical power [tfillos are another thing altogether! Keep the tehillim flying!!] But we do have the power with the click of a computer mouse to help a holy Jewish woman and her children who are also in dire straits and free them from their distress and bondage.
First, I would like to make a personal request: I ask that you read until the end. Even if you choose not to donate [which is understandable given the volume of requests you receive], there is tremendous value in just feeling for another Jew. It purifies the soul. So thank you in advance for dignifying me and this letter:-)!
I would like to introduce you to a very special young woman I will call "Chani". I am calling her that because it is actually her name 馃槉. I want to say that I know Chani [through her father who is a good friend of mine] personally and have verified that every word I am about to write is absolutely true, without any exaggeration [I am actually CONSIDERABLY understating the case] .
Chani had a very difficult childhood. How difficult? Auschwitz difficult. In some ways - not as bad as Auschwitz. She had more food [not always but usually] and there were no gas chambers in town. But in many ways - it was WORSE than Auschwitz. I cannot go into detail for Tzniyus purposes and other reasons as well [one being that if I tell you, you might not be able to sleep properly anymore - as has happened to me], but suffice it to say that it was 20 years of unremitting Gehenom on many different levels.
Imagine the most traumatic childhood possible - hers was worse. The pain was so unbearable that Chani attempted suicide three times in three different ways [I will spare you the details] and EACH TIME she was miraculously found and saved in time. BARUCH HASHEM!!
Then she was pressured into marrying a boy - but not before he said that, well, she is too fat so she has to lose weight and he also doesn't like the way she dresses. So after a massive diet, exercise regimen, throwing her clothing in the garbage and a new wardrobe - they got married. She wasn't excited about the wedding, but she attended because, you know, some weddings you HAVE to attend, even if you don't feel like it... They subsequently moved to the US.
Not surprisingly, her husband turned out to be a very abusive person. Just an example: She found herself out on a Brooklyn street one night, after her husband threw her out of the house and locked the door. Or another - her husband recently sent her an email [they are separated] saying that he wishes she had actually succeeded in her suicide attempt. He sends similar messages all the time. He goes on and on and on cursing her in every which way. [She has to read them because in the middle of his diatribes he supplies important information about their daughter whom he stole]. There are many worse stories but I will spare you the trauma I experienced hearing them. I am 52 years old. I have never experienced anything nearly as traumatic as hearing these stories from the person who experienced them. I have had trouble sleeping, lost weight [about 10 pounds - sakanas nefashos for a man with my physique:-)] and have constant crying spells.
To make the situation even more difficult, about five years ago she was diagnosed with cancer and is battling that. [When she had a serious operation, her husband didn't come to the hospital because, well, he doesn't like hospitals].
To make a much much longer story short - she is now living in Europe with her baby boy and young daughter. Her husband is holding another daughter hostage. Lovely guy.馃槉
She was recently late with her rent [mostly because she didn't have the money to pay it] and I found out JUST BEFORE she was thrown out to the street - with her two young children, in a country where she doesn't even speak the language. Fortunately, I found somebody [诪讬 讻注诪讱 讬砖专讗诇!!] willing to cover the rent for that month and she was saved at the last minute. Buzzer Beater!!!! Baruch Hashem!!!馃馃憤
She also was literally starving [until I found out and as a result got some holy Jews to send help]. Once, after not having eaten for 30 hours [!!], she prepared herself two pieces of chicken. Right before she was going to eat, her little daughter, who usually doesn't like chicken [she prefers schnitzel], asked for the chicken. She gave her daughter BOTH PIECES [馃槼馃槼] and continued starving. A woman with cancer. This is a story right out of Bergen Belsen which just happened recently. And that was just one fast. There were many others. She went at least once [I am not exaggerating] SEVEN DAYS without eating [only drinking] for lack of funds. [Her reaction? Baruch Hashem I had what to serve my children (!!!). I asked her how she managed to take care of her children under such circumstances. Her response "讛讬讛 拽砖讛" - It was (indeed) difficult. I have this all documented and am planning to save until my dying day. And a lot, lot, lot more].
My request: PLEASE HELP CHANI AND HER CHILDREN. It could be by paying a month or 6 months or a year's rent. It is only 310 Yuro - $336.55 in dollars. Bubkes. [For that amount - you can imagine what her "apartment" looks like. A "Trump Tower Deluxe"]. Or by paying her food bill for a month. Or her utilities. Or anything. For various reasons - she is unable to work, so she is completely dependent on YOUR help. Her family can't help because they are heavily, heavily in debt themselves.
I have no fancy ad campaigns, no gimmicks and no matching [although this Shabbos, I managed to match my socks, to my wife's great delight]. I ask that you send a TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation [Federal Tax Id #: 46-4301263] to
FLAGSTAR BANK
6321 New Utrecht Ave
Brooklyn NY 11207
Routing Number - 026013576
Account Number - 1505744604
PLEASE NOTE - Keren 633 "Mother with cancer".
Or - via credit card.
Or via paypal, venmo and chasepay to info@baisshalom.org.
To email a check, scan the check and email to checks@baisshalom.org.
Again - Keren 633 "Mother with cancer.
You can also send me money [without a tax deduction] via "zelle quick pay" to alchehrm@gmail.com and I will pass it on to her or I can give you my bank info in the US or Israel and you can make a transfer.
Chani is an incredibly bright, talented, beautiful inside and out, spiritual, kind and thoughtful girl. She is FILLLLLLLED with Emunah like nothing I have ever seen. She is so incredibly positive. She expresses no anger or bitterness. [Pain, yes. Lots of pain 馃槩馃槩]. It is nothing less than a miracle that she is normal after all of the horrors she has experienced. As we all anxiously await the safe return of our hostages, this is a great time to help those in their own captivity whom we have the capacity to help. Chani is our sister. PLEASE HELP!!
If anyone has any questions [or ideas how to help more], I would be happy to answer, either via email [alchehrm@gmail.com], telephone [0548512588] or zoom.
讜讙讚讜诇讛 爪讚拽讛 砖诪拽专讘转 讗转 讛讙讗讜诇讛 [讘讘讗 讘转专讗 讬,讗]!!!
Hashem will repay you with interest many times over. I prrrromise. Both in this world and most certainly in the next world where it really matters.
Thank you for your time and the dignity you afforded me.
With much love and blessings,
Ally Ehrman馃馃槉馃А馃寘馃
