Dear Friends of Ezrat Achim,
My daughter Gitty has a charm that no other girl in the world has. She has infinite goodness, and I feel that Hashem has given our family a unique zechus by sending Gitty to us. I feel privileged that she is my child.
Gitty is ten years old and she has a lot of difficulties and limitations. She can’t speak, and needs help with almost everything, starting with dressing her in the morning. Even after the day is over, I have to check on her even several times throughout the night, to make sure that everything is okay.
It’s not always easy. But Ezrat Achim makes it possible.
By nature, I’m very organized and always try to have everything ready in advance, without pressure and last minute surprises. The years of being Gitty’s mother have taught me to be flexible and accepting of the fact that the house will not always be run the way it used to, before Gitty was born.
Fridays and erev Chag are particularly challenging. There is so much that needs to be cleaned, cooked, organized and tidied up and when Gitty is at home, all that becomes more complex, more difficult.
Every afternoon, after school, Gitty goes to the Ezrat Achim Center and enjoys activities, nutritious food and loving attention. She returns home with a huge smile.
On Fridays she stays there until very close to Shabbos, when the whole house is already organized. Even on Shabbos itself she is in the Moadonit almost the whole afternoon and only comes home about an hour after Shabbos! This amazing service is unique to Beit Shemesh and life changing for my family.
Shabbos is supposed to be a time to relax and gather strength for the upcoming week, but for parents of a Special Needs child that is not a given. We don’t take for granted the fact that with Ezrat Achim’s help, we are able to do “normal things” like spend time with our other children, review what they learned in school during the week, sit with them on the couch and even rest a bit sometimes!
When Gitty comes back from Ezrat Achim after shabbos, I can greet her with a calm heart, knowing I’m giving her everything she needs and also that it’s not at the expense of my other kids.
I’d like to thank Ezrat Achim and the amazing volunteers – and most importantly: a huge thank you to the donors who make it possible!
I daven every day for the malachim- the donors of the organization- HKBH should bless you and always enable you to be one of the givers!
May you have only nachas from your children!
Gitty’s mother