PESACH APPEAL
A passover of remembering and healing
Thanks to JBCS, healing begins with remembering
First Passover without Miriam
As Daniel set the seder table, his hands trembled. It was the first Passover without Miriam, his beloved wife, and the mother of their three children. Noa, 14; Eli, 10; and little Yael, just 6. He placed her chair back at the table, unable to remove it, her absence echoing louder than any of the questions his children would ask that night. The holiday, once filled with laughter and song, now felt heavy with grief. Noa had grown silent, retreating into her toom. Eli was angry, his questions sharp and unanswerable. Yael asked when mummy was coming back, her innocence breaking Daniel’s heart each time.
Desperate to help his children and himself
Daniel turned to the Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service. With compassion and understanding, they walked beside his family through the valley of loss. Noa found a safe space to express her feelings, discovering words for her sorrow. Eli learned to channel his anger through art and storytelling.
Gentle play therapy helped Yael understand her mother’s absence, while Daniel found strength in the support groups, surrounded by others who truly understood.
This Passover the questions are no less painful, but they are no longer being met with silence. The Jewish Bereavement Counselling Service had given Daniel and his children the tools to remember Miriam with love, not just pain. They were learning to carry her memory forward, a legacy of joy amidst the tears.