The Inspiration Josh & Chashie (Celia) Goldberg established a fund in partnership with “Chaiyanu” to perpetuate the memory of their beloved daughter, Esther Malka Katz, A”H. The fund is called “Keren Tiferes Esther Malka”. Esther Malka Katz, A”H, was the quintessential bas Yisroel. When she became ill, her motto “Ein Od Milvado” expressed her Emunah and Bitachon that HaShem is in control and He alone can cure her. Esther’s family was the focus of her life. She had a true yiddisher home whose pillars were Torah, Avoda and Gemilas Chasadim. Her husband, yblc”t, is a Talmud chochom who maintains an intensive daily learning schedule in addition to working as a lawyer. Esther encouraged his learning by assuming full responsibility for running the household and never encroaching on his learning time. Thus she provided him with menuchas hanefesh to concentrate on learning Torah. At the hesped her husband said that she earned her place next to the keesai hakovod because of her devotion to his learning. Watching her daven was an inspiration. Up until the time of her admission to the ICU, she hardly missed a Shacharis or Mincha. Her children’s davening is a reflection of her avodas halev. She valued her husband’s dedication to tefilah betzibur, and did not plan a family trip where davening with a minyan was not possible. She was involved with many Chesed projects, such as preparing meals for people in her community and driving the elderly or sick to doctor’s appointments. However, her greatest chased project was the sale of Chesed dollar vouchers for the benefit of her children’s yeshivah, which was virtually a full-time job. People came in at all hours of the day or night to purchase the vouchers. Everyone was treated warmly and with respect. Then she had to spend many hours reconciling the books before she handed in the money to the yeshiva. She did not receive any tuition break or other compensation for her work. Her satisfaction was that her efforts benefitted the yeshiva. Esther was very careful not to speak loshon hara. She reviewed the laws on shmiras haloshon from the seforim of the Chofetz Chaim. If she thought that a conversation would lead to loshon hara, she politely changed the subject so as not to cause others to do this aveira. Her children learned by example from her to avoid loshon hara. Nerveless, she was very sociable. Her warm personality won her many friends. She was also very intelligent and pragmatic and therefore women often sought her advice on personal issues. The Passaic community where she lived was extremely supportive during her illness. She was always so appreciative of any chesed done for her, be it in driving her and accompanying her for treatment to preparing suppers or Shabbos meals for her family to caring for her younger children. She never took any chesed for granted. Her hakoras hatov was always warm and sincere. No memorial, no matter how grandiose, will do her justice. However, it is hoped that the fund “Keren Tiferes Esther Malka” will be an aliya for her Neshoma and an everlasting memorial for this special human being. Click to Donate

The Impact The Keren Tiferes Esther Malka has impacted Chaiyanu families from all walks of life throughout the entire land of Israel. When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness every aspect of home life is affected. Parents who are employed face the reality that someone must give up their job! Financial pressures become overwhelming and everything is compounded with the nightmare of a child with cancer. Every Chaiyanu family has a Case Manager who embraces the entire family and understands the specific needs of each and every family member. The Case Manager will activate and provide all the myriad services and programs Chaiyanu offers to the family, including financial assistance. The Keren Tiferes Esther Malka has eased the burden of pediatric illness by providing funds for the basic needs of these special families, giving them the encouragement and hope that they so desperately need. Children with cancer that are being treated with medications that are not covered by the health insurance companies have been seriously helped through the Keren Tiferes Esther Malka. This fund is giving these children another chance to survive by providing the means to purchase medications that the parents could not otherwise afford. Chaiyanu and the hundreds of families who have been touched by the Keren Tiferes Esther Malka want to thank all those who have reached out and created this fund and thank all those who have and will continue to support it.