Efi & Ila are a young, engaged couple living in the South of Israel. It was with heavy hearts, two weeks ago, that they had to cancel their wedding due to the war and restrictions on gatherings. One of the neighbors who was sorry to hear this news was their neighbor, Rabbi Moshe Rabinowitz.
Rabbi Rabinowitz knew the couple as two friendly young people. That was why he was so surprised to see Ila shaking and crying outside of her apartment. He asked her if everything was okay, and that was when the familiar face, combined with the pressures of the war, led to her confessing the painful truth.
This week, Efi & Ila will have their wedding, with only a minyan, in shul. This she has accepted. But what is coming next is more painful. Efi & Ila both come from simple families with very little. The war has made finances even worse. The apartment that the married couple are moving into has nothing: No fridge, no beds, no chairs, no oven. There is no money to purchase any of those things. Ila breaks down in tears. Rabbi Rabinowitz’s heart broke for her.
And so the Rabbi brought their case to Vaad HaRabbanim, who are now trying to help. Funds raised through Ila’s hachnasat kallah fund go toward basics like kitchen supplies, linens and furniture. Any and all help is deeply needed and appreciated by this couple, who have already been through so much.