When Amanda died suddenly at the age of 31 from a particularly virulent form of cancer, she left behind six- and seven-year-old daughters, Naomi and Jennifer, and a husband, Rafi, who was hopelessly unprepared to assume parenting duties all on his own.

Rafi suffered a major breakdown in the wake of Amanda’s death. A high school drop-out who failed to hold down a job for any significant length of time, he was close to destitute and barely able to cope even when Amanda was healthy.

The couple’s marriage had been anything but happy, and he was prone to outbursts of temper and abusiveness. When she passed away, he was overcome by grief and guilt. Though he loved his children and had always treated them well, he was simply incapable of caring for them through this period of intense crisis.

Agence Ometz was informed about the family’s situation by the Jewish day school attended by the children. A social worker immediately began working with Rafi to look after the best interests of the children and to ease the unendurable pressure he was suffering.

She found a Jewish foster home that could take in both girls. Thus, while still recovering from the trauma of losing their mother and being separated from their father, they would, at least, continue to be together. As it happened, they would spend a little more than a year in foster care, at which point, Rafi was able to take them back, even though conditions at home remained less than ideal.

The social worker helped to find the family a slightly larger and much cleaner apartment in the NDG area. Where they had been living amid roaches, they were now vermin free. Though the girls share a room, they were given proper beds. Ometz also assisted with clothing, eyeglasses, dental care, and school supplies.

There is no question that Naomi and Jennifer are disadvantaged by the loss of their mother and constrained by the limitations of their father’s abilities, but this need not prevent them from reaching their full potential and breaking free from the cycle of poverty. Thanks to subsidies funded by the Combined Jewish Appeal, the girls are able to attend Jewish day school, where they receive an education that is second to none. Community grants enable them to spend their summers at Jewish camp, which gives them a chance for carefree play, away from everyday stresses.

With the passage of time, Rafi has come to terms with his wife’s death and has adjusted to the role of single father. He is still struggling with the limited job opportunities imposed by his lack of formal education. However, he is being encouraged to pursue job training and parenting classes. With continued help from his Ometz social worker he is managing to hold his family together and to do the best he can for his children.

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