Lessons In Emunah

I am a caseworker in a Jewish social service agency in Williamsburg. A few weeks ago, I arrived to work on a Thursday morning, hung up my coat, drank my coffee and listened to my messages. One message caught my attention and shook me out of my morning stupor.

"Hello," said a friendly voice. "This is Maria, social worker at a nursing home in Smithtown. Could you call me back? I have some questions about Jewish burial."

Although it was a mere request for information, I sensed that an urgent human drama had prompted the call. I lost no time in calling back. The receptionist told me that Maria was in a meeting. Frustrated, I called back and asked for the director of social work. They put me through to Andrea.

"Hi Andrea! I received a call from Maria about Jewish burial. Do you know why she called?"

"Oh yes," said Andrea. "A Jewish patient, Mr. Fred Levy, just passed away, and we would like to know about Jewish burial."

Now I was in a high state of alert. "Please wait! Don’t do anything!" I begged. "I’ll make some phone calls and get back to you in 15 minutes!"

I hung up, stared down at my desk, and my mind went blank. What on earth was I going to do now?

"Call Rabbi Zohn!" said a small voice. My friend, who had worked as a shomer (watching the body before burial), often mentioned Rabbi Elchonon Zohn, director of the chevra kadisha of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens.

I nervously rifled through my phone book to the Zzz’s. When I finally reached the Vaad Harabonim, the secretary told me that Rabbi Zohn was not in. "This is an emergency!" I shouted. She immediately gave me his cell number.

Rabbi Zohn was kind, concerned and helpful. He immediately called the Hebrew Free Burial Association and connected me with them. I later found out that he is on their Rabbinic Advisory Board.

I spoke to a few people at the office, made more calls to Smithtown, and soon they had three-way conversations going on between the various parties, which included the social workers in the nursing home, the Public Health Commissioner’s office and the staff at Hebrew Free Burial.

I got back to work, and when I called back late that afternoon, the parties were still all in the midst of making arrangements for Mr. Levy’s burial.

The next morning, I called the Hebrew Free Burial Association, and they told me that Mr. Levy had been buried with honor and according to Jewish law in their Mt. Richmond Cemetery in Staten Island.

I was struck by the Hashgacha Pratis (Divine Providence)in all that had happened. I called Maria to ask why in the world she had called me. How did a non-Jewish social worker from a small town in Long Island hear of the UJO, a chassidic social service agency in Williamsburg?

She responded, "The truth is, I had no idea what to do. So I opened up the Yellow Pages, and yours was the first number I found!"

This was the first miracle.

Then, another miracle came to light. It turned out that Mr. Levy had a space in a mausoleum, but had left no funds for the funeral and arrangements. He thus merited to be buried in holiness according to Jewish tradition.

I felt that Mr. Levy must have been a very special person to have such overt miracles happen for him. I asked Maria about him, and she said that although she did not know about his younger years, she did remember that he was a man who shone in his good deeds and kindness. He was always going out of his way to help the other residents of the home, and continued to do so even when he was hospitalized.

And so, I learnt many lessons from this story. I learnt that not having money can actually be a blessing! I learnt of the kindness of people such as Maria and Andrea, who went out of their way to respect Mr. Levy’s religion even though they did not have to do so. I learnt that Hashem watches over us to our last breath and beyond; and that it is our chesed on our journey in this life that protects us and arouses overt miracles on our behalf.

May Mr. Levy’s memory be for a blessing!

(NOTE: All names have been changed. If anyone is interested in information on the Hebrew Free Burial Society, the number is (212) 239-1662. Their website is www.hebrewfreeburial.org. It is their mission to bury impoverished Jews who would otherwise be buried in Potters Field. This is the true chesed shel emet: lovingkindness for the deceased who are unable to repay the kindness.)