The loss of a parent is an open wound that never truly heals.
When a young parent dies, the aftershocks of that loss reverberate through every moment of the child's life.
Visiting day and parent-teacher conferences... Bar mitzvahs and Birkas Kohanim... Siddur plays and graduations... Pesach Seders and upsherins... First day of school and mesivta farhers... Meeting the mechutanim and family trips...
The bedrock has shifted, and nothing feels stable or the same.
I understand the pain of that aching loneliness... because I was there.
For years after losing my mother at 9 years old, I carried my secret pain in silence.
Until one night, I made myself a promise - one day, I'd be there for other kids like me and give them the support I'd so desperately needed.
That night was the turning point in my journey with grief.
For the past 17 years, Zisel's Links & Shlomie's Club has supported thousands of children and teens who've lost a parent. And we've seen time and time again that while every grieving child's journey is individual and unique, for each one, there comes a turning point.
No matter how young the child was when they experienced the loss, no matter how many years have passed since their parent's death, with the right supports in place, each child will one day turn the corner, learning to integrate their loss and grow into the amazing person they're destined to become.
It's a privilege to companion a child along their journey with grief, to be there for them and fulfill their unique social, emotional, and practical needs through our ever-expanding range of services - weekend retreats, art & music clubs, in-person and Zoom events, monthly publications, therapy referrals & funding, legal & financial services, Yom Tov gift cards, an exclusive clothing shop, chassan/kallah programs, and so much more.
I invite you to join me in supporting grieving children at every age and stage, because the loss of a parent is felt in every aspect of a child's life.
We can't take away their grief - but we can be there for them as they turn the corner toward healing and hope.
Sarah Rivkah Kohn
Founder & Director, Zisel's Links & Shlomie's Club
Read More
Share Your Donation
Let others know about your Donation and that they can help too!
Round
