Page 39 - issue
P. 39
Journey to Telz Stone PLOIKAVCTEIASSOTIVTIUIOLURNLSE
Blumenfeld also runs the cross guard program, whose mem- 35
bers help get the children to school safely. For this, she is
paid a small stipend.
If all that isn’t enough to keep one woman busy, Mrs.
Blumenfeld has also written two books. The first, titled A
Child Like That, under the pen name Rivka Wallberg, was
about her son Meir and his growth and adjustment. Her sec-
ond book, All Hashem’s Children, was written in collabora-
tion with her sister, Leah Grangewood. It is a compilation of
stories, written by parents and teachers, including herself,
who have children with special needs. Her attitude, and the
message that she wished to broadcast, is “Children are not
yissurim, they are nisyonos.”
◆◆◆
The next stage in Mrs. Blumenfeld’s life unfolded when
her husband Yehuda passed away, nine years after they
made their second move to Eretz Yisrael. Just the day before,
they had celebrated the engagement of their oldest daugh-
ter. Mrs. Blumenfeld remembers wishing for a support
group, but there was none, and she couldn’t get one started.
The children stepped in to make it easier for her. After the
wedding, the young couple came often during that shana
rishona to spend Shabbos with Mrs. Mandelcorn and help
lead the Shabbos table. Another son in yeshiva would also
come home to pitch in for Shabbos, in addition to a young
man who was a ben bayit in the Mandelcorn home. The
bachurim from Neve Tzion remained connected as well and
came for the annual Purim seuda until Mrs. Mandelcorn
remarried.
Six years later after her first husband’s passing, Mrs.
Blumenfeld was introduced to Rabbi Blumenfeld from
Toronto. Rabbi Blumenfeld holds smicha and works as a psy-
chologist, specializing in addiction counseling. His schedule
involves learning and giving a daf yomi shiur, as well as class-
es in psychology.
◆◆◆
Mrs. Blumenfeld describes life in Telz Stone. When she
first moved in, only about 50 families were living there. Now
there are more than 500 families and two new housing areas.
In fact, some people, worried about overcrowding, are mov-
ing out. Yet others are moving in to join the friendly commu-
nity which offers slightly more affordable housing than in
Yerushalayim. There are plenty of Americans, Europeans,
South Africans, and Israelis, and one hears Hebrew and
English alike on the street. The community comprises most-
ly open-minded Litvishe chareidim who get along well with
the Sefardi and chasidishe communities.
Like other communities in Eretz Yisrael, Telz Stone has a
vaad hakabala, an acceptance committee, which evaluates
people interested in moving into Telz Stone. They determine
a potential family’s religious level and decide who is appro-
priate and would fit into the community. Even though it’s a
chareidi community, some dati leumi families are also
u 410 358 8509 u
Blumenfeld also runs the cross guard program, whose mem- 35
bers help get the children to school safely. For this, she is
paid a small stipend.
If all that isn’t enough to keep one woman busy, Mrs.
Blumenfeld has also written two books. The first, titled A
Child Like That, under the pen name Rivka Wallberg, was
about her son Meir and his growth and adjustment. Her sec-
ond book, All Hashem’s Children, was written in collabora-
tion with her sister, Leah Grangewood. It is a compilation of
stories, written by parents and teachers, including herself,
who have children with special needs. Her attitude, and the
message that she wished to broadcast, is “Children are not
yissurim, they are nisyonos.”
◆◆◆
The next stage in Mrs. Blumenfeld’s life unfolded when
her husband Yehuda passed away, nine years after they
made their second move to Eretz Yisrael. Just the day before,
they had celebrated the engagement of their oldest daugh-
ter. Mrs. Blumenfeld remembers wishing for a support
group, but there was none, and she couldn’t get one started.
The children stepped in to make it easier for her. After the
wedding, the young couple came often during that shana
rishona to spend Shabbos with Mrs. Mandelcorn and help
lead the Shabbos table. Another son in yeshiva would also
come home to pitch in for Shabbos, in addition to a young
man who was a ben bayit in the Mandelcorn home. The
bachurim from Neve Tzion remained connected as well and
came for the annual Purim seuda until Mrs. Mandelcorn
remarried.
Six years later after her first husband’s passing, Mrs.
Blumenfeld was introduced to Rabbi Blumenfeld from
Toronto. Rabbi Blumenfeld holds smicha and works as a psy-
chologist, specializing in addiction counseling. His schedule
involves learning and giving a daf yomi shiur, as well as class-
es in psychology.
◆◆◆
Mrs. Blumenfeld describes life in Telz Stone. When she
first moved in, only about 50 families were living there. Now
there are more than 500 families and two new housing areas.
In fact, some people, worried about overcrowding, are mov-
ing out. Yet others are moving in to join the friendly commu-
nity which offers slightly more affordable housing than in
Yerushalayim. There are plenty of Americans, Europeans,
South Africans, and Israelis, and one hears Hebrew and
English alike on the street. The community comprises most-
ly open-minded Litvishe chareidim who get along well with
the Sefardi and chasidishe communities.
Like other communities in Eretz Yisrael, Telz Stone has a
vaad hakabala, an acceptance committee, which evaluates
people interested in moving into Telz Stone. They determine
a potential family’s religious level and decide who is appro-
priate and would fit into the community. Even though it’s a
chareidi community, some dati leumi families are also
u 410 358 8509 u
