Rabbi Weisz: Hi everybody, I’m here today in Beit Shemesh with (a Holocaust Survivor), tell everybody your name.
Miriam: Miriam.
Rabbi Weisz: And how old are you Miriam?
Miriam: Ninety, ninety years old.
Rabbi Weisz: Miriam has a very, very amazing story. You were telling us before that you’re from Hungary, where my family is from, and you were there during the years of the Holocaust. A very difficult time for the Jewish people.
And now you live here in Israel in this apartment. But it’s hard to be 90 years old in a third story [building]. Miriam lives here in this apartment by herself, and it’s the third story, right?
It’s very hard for Miriam to leave her apartment, and in fact it’s been many years since she left her apartment. She has a walker, but it’s hard for her to move around.
The last time she tried leaving her apartment, she fell down the stairs. We’re trying to bring services to you, to help you here, so that you can stay here in your home comfortably.
Ane of the things that Miriam also said was about Anti-Semitism, because today Anti-Semitism is a problem, not just during the times of the Holocaust, but Anti-Semitism is growing today around the world.
Miriam said that she’s afraid that Anti-Semitism will continue, and maybe it’ll even get worse. What she was telling us before, what she was concerned about, is that the younger generation is not as involved, doesn’t care as much.
It used to be in her generation, people were more supportive of Israel and the Jewish people, and she’s concerned about the next generation.
But I was trying to tell you Miriam that there are many, many people all around the world who love you very much, and who want to support you and who want you to be happy and to be healthy. And God should just give you many years of health and happiness. And anything that we can do to help you we will try to do for you.
Rabbi Weisz:[I’m] here with Mira Aronson, right outside of a Holocaust Survivor’s home. Mira is a social worker and was just explaining exactly the person who we just visited. So Mira, tell us a little bit about her.
Mira: Okay hi, so this is Miriam’s apartment. She lives on the top floor. She is a Holocaust survivor. She is from Hungary. And she has been living in this apartment for about 15-something years, something like that.
This program that we’re working on, Ad HaBayit it’s called. I come, have a home visit with her, and I set up a therapist to come and work with her once a week. Her name is Serena, and she is a physiotherapist, and she comes to work with Miriam, who really needs it.
Miriam has a lot of trouble walking. She sits in her chair almost the whole entire day, with a walker in front of her. And Serena is able to move her arms and her legs with her, and work with her once a week. And she only has like the helper for a few hours in the mornings, and the helper for a few hours in the evening. And we’re just concerned for her, because she’s all alone.
Rabbi Weisz: She lives in a third-floor walk-up, with no elevator. And because of that, she really can’t move. And we asked her when was the last time you even left your apartment.
Mira: She said about ten years. For ten years she has not left her apartment. She once did try to go down the steps, and she got very dizzy and she almost fell.
Rabbi Weisz: It’s amazing that these are people who’ve gone through so much who’ve suffered so much in her lifetime, and now in her older age. These are the years she should be enjoying with her family, with her children, with her grandchildren, and she really has a very, very hard life. So those of you who have contributed to this thank you so much, because Mira was explaining how important it is.
Mira: How important, how grateful it is, and how much she appreciates. She needs all the help that she can get.
Rabbi Weisz: By bringing the therapist to her, we’re able to improve her quality of life. And she deserves it. She’s a very special, sweet lady. So thank you everybody who contributed. Israel365 watchmen on the wall. And God should bless you for blessing the people of Israel in comforting the Holocaust survivors. And thank you Mira for your employment.