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The Jewish people suffered a great loss on Motzei Shabbos evening, June 7th. In Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, Rav Shmuel Aharon Starik zt’l, just 58 years old, returned his soul to the Creator after battling Covid-19. 
Rav Shmuel Aharon was the son of the revered Chassid, Rav Gershon Starik. Rav Gershon had a close relationship with the Rebbe of Toldos Aharon and was known for his infinite kindness, as he performed selfless acts of chessed on behalf of his community and for Klal Yisroel at large.

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“It was a joyous moment for my family: The engagement. Cries of ‘mazel tov’ rang out, both sides exchanged handshakes, and we were on our way to beginning a new life. I was in shidduchim for many years – It is a huge simcha.
Little did we know, my father was not well. Cancer was growing in his body and by the time he learned his diagnosis just weeks later, he would be gone.
He left behind a devastated family, a widow, many children, debts, bills. He left behind – a kallah.
The embarrassment & grief that have followed are unbearable. The day approaches. I do not have what I need. The whole thing may be cancelled.

[COMMUNICATED]We need your help to save our boys, Shalom Binyomin, “Benny” and Yehoshua Natan, “Josh”. Benny and Josh were diagnosed with a devastating, fatal disease called Canavan Disease two and half years ago. Their diagnosis changed our lives forever.
Canavan Disease is a progressive brain disorder caused by a genetic mutation that affects children. Children with Canavan Disease are unable to sit, stand, walk or talk. As degeneration progresses, many children will lose the ability to swallow, develop seizures, and experience blindness. Children with Canavan Disease often don’t live past age 10.

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Rav Simcha Scheinberg released a moving video this week in support of a family member in crisis. The family member is an unnamed talmid chacham, a father of a large family of children, whose wife has become very ill with cancer. The family is now struggling to afford their most basic expenses. This stress is compounded by the fact that they have a son who is getting married next month, and nothing has been arranged for the simcha due to a lack of funds.
 
Rav Scheinberg’s message was as follows:

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The world is in a chaotic place. When faced with health crises, social unrest, and financial instability, it is natural to feel a sense of helplessness. Some, however, manage to rise above this sense of helplessness and fight, against all odds, to make an impact on the world. Few exemplify this trait more than Rabbi & Rebbetzin Mentzer, of Jerusalem.

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Just a few days remain until the holiday of Shavuos, and the global community has begun to prepare. Many have prepared their grocery lists, planned where they will be ordering their flowers from, and even decided which seforim they will be learning. Rav Chaim Kanievsky will be dedicating some of his precious time on Shavuos to one particular cause, and recommends others do the same.
 

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Baruch Hashem, the hospitalizations and deaths R”l in our kehillah have been on a downward trend for weeks, but the Coronavirus crisis’ effects are felt stronger than ever by so many families. 
All too many of our friends and neighbors in the greater Lakewood area have not had a proper income – or, even worse, incurred steep losses – for some two months now. Two very expensive months. The debts are mounting. The tension is palpable. 

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Rebbetzin Kolodetsky, daughter of Rav Chaim Kanievsky and spiritual leader in her own right, released the following video address this week on behalf of members of her extended family. Her brother-in-law, Rav Yaakov Kolodetsky, was a talmid chacham who passed away due to COVID. He left behind 10 children, 3 of whom still live at home. Those close to the family have become extremely concerned for the wellbeing of the widow & 3 children.
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The world lost another giant last week, with the passing of 59-year-old father of 12 Rabbi Refael Schoenfeld. Schoenfeld was famous throughout Israel for his volunteer work with ZAKA and the Cheva Kadisha. He dedicated his life to giving others a proper Jewish burial. It was with tremendous pain that his colleagues buried him after his life was taken by COVID-19.
 
More pained than the countless families who had benefited from Rabbi Schoenfeld’s chesed, however, was his own widow and 12 children. They have anxiously awaited his return from the hospital since last month, and have now had to accept that their father is never coming home.