JWBS appeals for community’s generosity

Maureen Disler and Elaine Bobroff

Let this Rosh Hashanah make a difference to these people and a multitude of others.

Tracy, David and Louise are today three young adults who have completed their education, and are slowly establishing themselves in their chosen fields and assuming financial responsibility of their two old widowed grandmothers.

However, life had not always been smooth sailing for these people. When the children were younger, their father, Eric, ran a not too successful hardware business, and their mother, Paula, was a saleslady in a shoe shop; the younger of the two grandmothers worked in a large department store selling haberdashery and the older grandmother ran the home that was shared by all seven of them.

Life was not easy, there were few luxuries, but they were a loving, caring family and everyone was reasonably contented.

After a few years of just managing, with the children growing up and taking part-time jobs to supplement the budget, their world fell apart, Paula became ill and passed away.

Eric went totally to pieces and his failing business had to be liquidated. This was the final straw and feeling that he would never be a success as a person, he committed suicide. The remaining devastated members of the family then realised that the Jewish Women’s Benevolent Society was there for them.

The younger grandmother at 77 still worked and the older lady whose health was failing, was unable to cope with the running and cleaning of the home. The children assisted in every way, but nothing seemed to help. We have enabled them to turn their lives around to live in dignity with a measure of comfort.

We are taught that the fragrance of giving lingers on the hand of the giver for a long time, and it is a fact the one’s sense of worthiness and self-esteem is enhanced beyond measure, by acts of selfless charity.  Donations may be deposited into Nedbank, Siemert Road branch 195205, Account 1923 005 359, reference: RHA + name or mailed to PO Box 28952, Sandringham, 2131.