Coping With the Death of a Child
Comfort for grieving parents
When my son suddenly passed away last year, I felt angry for months. I was angry at my husband, at my friends, at the bank clerk. I was angry at everything and everyone. I was angry at people for no particular reason. I was angry ‘just because’. All that time, I kept telling G-d that … Continue reading Is it OK to Be Angry At G-d?
Fond Memories from Long Ago I fondly remember our family seders when Jacob and his brothers were young. They received afikoman prizes for searching and finding the hidden piece of matzah. When they got older, finding the afikoman was less of a thrill, but they still enjoyed telling over the story of the Exodus and … Continue reading Passover Seder Without My Son
The Meaning of a Year Gone By Without Jacob My son, Jacob, just had his first yahrzeit. This was the day I’d been dreading. Thankfully, it wasn’t the miserable crying fest I thought it would be. My husband and I were around other people during the morning, and in the afternoon, Jacob’s older brother Adam … Continue reading My Son’s First Yahrzeit
In memory of our son’s yahrzeit, my husband and I sponsored the lecture, ‘Cremation or Burial? A Jewish View’, given on Zoom by Mr. Doron Kornbluth. This presentation was hosted by Rabbi Sholom Pinson of Chabad of South Bay in California where Jacob attended school and synagogue services. In the past, cremation was not performed … Continue reading Cremation or Burial? A Jewish View
Many parents visited the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994) for advice and comfort after losing their child. The Rebbe would respond with patience and empathy, giving words of consolation and encouragement. Here are some of the Rebbe’s insights on the terrible tragedy of child loss. (What follows are not actual quotes, but merely … Continue reading The Rebbe Speaks to Grieving Parents About Child Loss
