Miriam Schaeffer is a mother to 11 beautiful children. Usually, Passover is her favorite holiday. This year, however, she is dreading it.
Her husband, Rabbi Schaeffer, passed away two weeks ago from a heart attack. The family just got up from the shiva. All Miriam wants to do is lie in bed and cry. Instead, she is Passover cleaning, because the holiday will come whether she is ready or not. Usually, her husband is her partner in Passover prep, but this year she is on her own.
The Schaeffer family is already getting final notices on bills, and Miriam doesn’t know what to do. Rabbi Schaeffer was the breadwinner of the family. With the bank account alarmingly empty. Miriam has the sinking feeling that they will turn off the electricity and that the Schaeffers will be eating their Passover Seder in the dark.
Right now, the main struggle is groceries. Miriam has 11 hungry mouths to feed, and no money. The family has gotten some help from the organization Achisamach, for Shabbat meals. It has made a world of difference. “To not have to worry about going hungry when we are already drowning in grief.”
Passover groceries - even keeping it absolutely “simple” - are out of the question for the Schaeffers right now. Achisamach is raising money to give the Schaeffers and other similarly suffering families vouchers so that they can afford the holiday. All of the families have experienced illness or loss in some way - they don’t want to also spend Passover hungry.
“Please, if you are able to, donate to help us,” writes Miriam. ”It would bring so much comfort to a mourning family. It will be like you are hosting us. Right now, we need a helping hand.”
Readers can donate here to help the Schaeffers and the rest of the families make Pesach