For Orly

Unite in this dark time, for a girl who is a light to all of Klal Yisrael.

This past Friday night, the night of Yom Kippur, in Jacksonville, FL, tragedy struck. Orly Ohayon, 16, and her mother Esther were hit by a car while walking to shul. Unfortunately, Esther was pronounced dead on the scene. Orly is currently in University of Florida Health hospital, where she currently in the ICU recovering from surgery. She will need extensive therapy upon her return home.

I had the privilege of being one of Orly’s advisers this past summer on Michlelet NCSY, a girls’ learning program in Israel. She is a profound girl. I can’t remember ever seeing her without a smile on her face. She is a ray of positivity, literally an or, a light, to all those who come in contact with her. Her passion and love for Judaism are inspirational and she does everything in her power to spread that love to others. It’s no surprise that her favorite shirt is one that says “I love Hashem” in big bold letters.

Right before Yom Kippur began, several hours before the accident, Orly’s Facebook status read as follows: ”

To all my fellow Jews: how awesome is it that Yom Kippur fell on Shabbat?!? Double the holiness! Anyways, as Yom Kippur gets closer by the minute and as we get ready for the HOLIEST day of the year by either apologizing to people we may have hurt in the past year, doing Kapparot, getting ready for Seudat Hamafseket aka stuffing our faces with food, or however you get in the mood of Yom Kippur I would just like to say I hope you have a very meaningful fast! May we all be inscribed in the book of life! Gmar Chatima Tovah!

These words speak for themselves.

 “כִּי אֵשֵׁב בַּחֹשֶׁךְ, יְהוָה אוֹר לִי” 

‘Although I sit in darkness, Hashem is a light for me.’ (Micha 7:8.)

When hardship like this hits, the Jewish community becomes a united front and faces the battle as an am, together. Even when it all seems so difficult, so dark, Hashem always serves as a light. There has been an outpouring of people who want to help in whatever way they can: Tehillim and learning groups, challah baking, fundraising etc. Please join this force and do something for Orly bat Esther to merit a refuah shlayma, a full recovery, and for her mother, Esther bat Yosef to merit an aliyah nshama. Any act, any prayer makes a HUGE difference and means the world to Orly and her family. Let’s unite for Orly, the girl who brings so much light wherever she goes.

Any donations to the Ohayon family to help cover expenses can be sent to:

https://secure.paperlesstrans.com/NCSYSouthernRegion

*Write that the donation is for the Ohayon Emergency Fund.

OR

https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/dbKLa

May Orly merit a refuah shlayma and may Hashem send nechama to the entire Ohayon family. May we hear only b’sarot tovot, good news, in 5774.

#staystrongorly.