‘Growing up without a parent is difficult,” says Mrs. Rachel Marton, head of the Keren Chesed Menachem Mendel – Orphan Intervention Program. “A child expects to grow up with both parents, and losing one – especially suddenly or under tragic circumstances – can be extremely difficult to cope with.”
Chesed Menahem Mendel, part of Colel Chabad, the oldest continually operating charity in Israel, was founded about 26 years ago by Rabbi Yitzchok Marton. After his tragic passing in 2023, his wife, Rachel, a mother of nine children, took over the leadership of the organization.
It provides vital assistance to young families throughout the State of Israel who are coping with the loss of a parent.
Rabbi Zalman Duchman, executive director of Colel Chabad, says, “Mrs. Rachel Marton has stepped into the shoes of her husband, Yitzchok, and then some. She has continued the work he began while bringing her own unique emotional sensitivity and spirit to it. She has given the organization new life.”
Marton explains that her husband’s careful development of the organization has enabled her to continue and expand the programs he initiated. For Marton, the Chesed Menahem Mendel Fund was almost part of her family.
“Our children were born into the foundation,” she says. “It was our family’s life – in a sense, our second family. We could not disconnect from it. I was drawn into the fund’s work, and today we are continuing its activities.”
Chesed Menahem Mendel provides vital support and assistance to more than 1,000 families throughout the country – families that come from every economic and religious sector and region of the State of Israel.
“They trust us, and we have the privilege of working with them, accompanying them through their challenges, helping them, and easing their burdens,” she shares.
The events of October 7 caused a major change in the organization’s activities, explains Marton. After the massacre and the ensuing war, the number of widows and orphans assisted by the organization grew enormously.
“Not only did the number grow; many very young widows joined. They came to our gatherings with strollers. Some children were born after their fathers were murdered,” she says. “But because my husband built it in such a clear, organized, and established way, we can expand its activities to meet the need.”
Marton says that whenever she learns about a family that has suffered a tragic loss, she feels deeply saddened and sympathizes with their pain.
She recounts what Rabbi Duchman said to her: “He told me, ‘Be thankful that we can ease their burden, help them, and bring them joy.’ Since then, I have looked at it differently. The tragedies are not easy. The cases we deal with are truly difficult for anyone. But thank God we can ease the families’ burden.”
When do the professionals of Chesed Menahem Mendel become involved?
When a parent of young children passes away, she explains, the entire neighborhood comes to help. The house is filled with people who come to comfort the family and bring toys for the children. But over time, she explains, the circle shrinks.
People return to their daily routines and stop coming.
“That is when our organization comes into the picture. We step in, stand alongside the parent, and help them cope with this complex situation. We accompany the family day after day.”
A representative from the fund will contact the widow, and together they discuss what can be done to benefit each child. If necessary, the representative also contacts the school and the educational staff. Together with the coordinator’s experience, the mother and Chesed Menahem Mendel personnel build an individually tailored support plan.
If a child needs academic help, mentors from the fund will contact the classroom teacher.
“If there are other difficulties at school,” says Marton, “we also approach the school and offer help. The mothers know this too. They give us the phone numbers of the school administration and teachers. We work closely with the educational staff. We are all there for the child.”
The guiding principle of Chesed Menahem Mendel, explains Marton, is to treat members of these bereaved families with respect and sensitivity.
“It was very important to my husband that assistance be provided in a kind and sensitive manner, and with the utmost respect. That principle continues to guide us. What I remember most about him is how deeply he respected and admired the people we helped, and that remains extremely important to us – treating everyone with dignity and respect.”
Marton then expands on the organization’s activities: “Our goal at Chesed Menahem Mendel is to prevent children from dropping out of school. We want to improve their academic achievements and preserve the progress they have made.
“When a crisis like this happens, children think the world has stopped. ‘What will happen? We have no chance.’ Their self-confidence immediately drops. We are here to show them they can succeed and to help them succeed in life so that they can begin their own lives from a stronger starting point.
“We know that it is possible, and we know that we need to give these children the feeling that everything will be all right. Despite all the pain and everything that is missing – and that pain and absence are enormous – they will succeed in life.
They will do wonderfully, and with God’s help, a good future awaits them.”
To ensure the chances of scholastic success, Chesed Menahem Mendel arranges for professional tutoring throughout the country for orphaned children in a wide variety of subjects – mathematics, English, language studies, and religious studies.
“For children entering first grade, we monitor their reading to see whether they have learned to read properly,” says Marton. “If necessary, we offer a remedial teacher. If there is a specific difficulty, we also provide an assessment, and we make sure the assessment’s recommendations are implemented.”
The difficulties caused by the tragedy of the loss of a parent can severely impact their studies.
“Think of a mother whose daughter is studying five units of mathematics. She cannot help her because she may not have the ability or the time, since she is running the household on her own. We take that burden off her shoulders. She may tell us that she sees a need for tutoring for the children, for example.
“Our coordinators will also help her find teachers and follow up to ensure the teachers meet the need, and the child is truly progressing. The children know there is no such thing as ‘I am struggling, and there is nobody to help me.’”
Beyond that, the fund also provides mentors to accompany the child, bring them joy, help them, and spend enjoyable time with them – going bike riding together, playing with them, and simply having fun.
Chesed Menahem Mendel also arranges enrichment activities for the students and mothers.
“We believe a child must enjoy life,” notes Marton, “so we offer every child in the foundation – and the mothers too – the opportunity to choose an enrichment class in an area where the child is strong. That gives the child an experience of success.”
Mothers are offered classes in swimming, sports, and art, and children’s activities include music, sports, art, or dance.
While these types of activities are sufficient for children, she acknowledges that teens who have lost a parent often need something more: “Adolescence is not easy for our young people. A child who has lost a parent can easily say, ‘It is hard for me. I do not have to. I cannot succeed.’ Everyone will pity them and justify it, and then no one will expect anything of them.”
To encourage teens to succeed, Chesed Menahem Mendel developed its Ma’aleh Scholarship Program, which boosts high school students’ motivation by providing assessments throughout the year and awarding scholarships based on academic excellence and progress.
Throughout the school year, high school students upload their test results to the scholarship program website. At the end of the year, students who score well receive amounts ranging from several hundred shekels to several thousand shekels, depending on the scope of their academic accomplishments.
Another program the fund added this year is a unique program for high-achieving students that enables them to take advanced courses in subjects such as computer science, English, and others.
Marton adds that the fund has created a pilot course that enables students who have completed high school and participated in Chesed Menahem Mendel to mentor younger students weekly. This is in addition to the regular mentors that children are provided with.
Chesed Menahem Mendel also offers a range of summer activities, including day camps, overnight camps, summer camps, and enrichment activities to fill students’ free time. Parents choose a camp from a list of local options, and the organization subsidizes the cost.
The organization provides a comprehensive approach to helping children, says Marton, because losing a parent affects every area of a child’s life.
“Our support is multidisciplinary. We address emotional, academic, and social needs. Of course, we tailor the response to the child’s age and developmental stage. That is necessary because the child is also dealing with difficulties across a range of areas.”
“We celebrate life,” says Marton, and the list of activities that Chesed Menahem Mendel sponsors goes far beyond the school year and the summer, including a special family event for children entering first grade, in which school bags and school supplies are distributed free of charge to youngsters, a Hanukkah retreat for new families that have entered the organization, delivery of the Four Species (lulav, etrog, hadassim, and aravot) before Sukkot, mishloah manot (food packages) before Purim, and a Seder plate before Passover.
The Chesed Menahem Mendel Fund also provides 24-hour retreats for busy mothers who need time off from their families.
One of the highlights of the program is the bar and bat mitzvah celebrations held for the children. The bar mitzvah celebration is held on Nisan 11, the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, for whom the fund is named.
The bat mitzvah program is observed on Shvat 22, the anniversary of the passing of the Rebbe’s wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka.
“These are high-quality events, planned down to the last detail, with a special, happy atmosphere,” says Marton. “All our activities are very joyful. Being together does us so much good; it empowers and strengthens us. The atmosphere is pleasant and happy, and we draw tremendous strength from every gathering. Whenever we have an opportunity to celebrate, bring joy, help, and ease the burden, we are there.”
Marton is proud of what her husband accomplished, and grateful that she can continue his work.
“What is amazing is that a person’s important work continues. This was his life’s mission, and you see it continuing, progressing, and developing. He built it properly. It is truly a holy and important organization,” she says.
“Donating and being part of it is the finest charity. You know, helping a widow who found herself in this situation through the circumstances of life – she did nothing. To be able to help, assist, and ease the burden for others is an enormous privilege.”
Chesed Menahem Mendel is constantly adding new programs and has further plans for expansion.
“The sky is the limit,” Marton adds. “If we have the means, we can expand both the number of families receiving help and the assistance itself. We constantly receive requests to bring in families. We would be happy to provide more and more support.”
For example, she says, Chesed Menachem Mendel would like to provide vocational training for women to help them support their families.
“Higher education, a computer for every student in high school – there are many ways to advance and develop. The sky really is the limit, and we keep moving forward,” she concludes.
This article was written in cooperation with Colel Chabad.