A friend of mine tragically lost his son in September 2005 and started an organization in his memory. Here is the mission statement for Avigdor’s Helping Hand:
Avigdor’s Helping Hand seeks to provide (i) immediate, emergency and short term relief, both financial and non-financial, to families in our communities who have sustained the recent loss of the primary breadwinner and (ii) financial assistance to orphans who are getting married in the near future.
Here is some information from their home page:
Each and every one of us knows of families that have sustained the tragic loss of the wage-earning husband or wife leaving the surviving spouse and their children in unimaginable pain.What can be done for these families? These are people, just like you, who led normal lives until tragedy indiscriminately struck and instantly turned their lives upside down.How can we ease their pain and suffering? The effects of such a loss are monumental. Children without their parents, wives without their beloved husbands and husbands without their cherished wives. Their suffering is too great to bear even before the economic impact begins to engulf them.
How will these families survive financially? Even in cases where benefits, such as insurance or governmental assistance, are available, it often takes weeks or months for those benefits to be processed and made accessible to the family.
Additionally, Avigdor’s Helping Hand provides financial assistance to orphans who are facing the positive major life event of getting married. Unfortunately, this happiest of times is often marred by poverty. With the absence of one or both parents, this poverty is even more evident.
If you know of anybody in need of this type of assistance please have them contact Avigdor’s Helping Hand.
In reading this important post, it strikes me that this is one important example of a halachic response to tragedy and suferring. No theology, but what can I take from the experience of loss, not to justify it, but to use it as an opportunity to simply do good.
A second “halachic” response: unless denied by the company, buy life insurance. Think what you would need and triple it. And buy for husband and wife.
Personal caveat: My wife died when my two oldest were 7&5. The life insurance my wife and I bought for her, gave me peace of mind and money in the bank. I did marry again(for which I thank G-d constantly)and we are able to support ourselves.
Kol Hakavod to Avigdor’s Helping Hand!
Avigdor was a friend and neighbor of ours and his son and my son are very close friends. The organization is a fitting tribute.
On Chol HaMoed Succos, the husband of my former secretary died unexpextantly at the age of 40. He was the sole income earner and, unfortunately, did not have life insurance. Avigdor’s Helping Hand got involved quickly and began providing initial monetary support. I can personally vouch for the people running the organization and the good work that it does. No one should ever have a need for AHH but for those who do, it is comforting to know that they are not alone.
The website also has a form for those interested in volunteering their time.