COMPLETELY OUT OF MY ELEMENT

When a husband goes to prison, everybody suffers.

But unlike him or his children, his wife is not only traumatized.

She is now also burdened with a seemingly-impossible task: to raise the children and simultaneously earn enough money to support the family—alone.

With the primary breadwinner behind bars, that task is often enormously challenging and emotionally overwhelming.

Miri’s case is no different.

Her husband was arrested in their front yard as their oldest son watched in horror and confusion.

Without warning, Miri’s peaceful life was suddenly turned upside down.

She was “shocked, overwhelmed, and lost.”

With four young children to raise, mounting bills, and a household to run, the young mother from Israel had no idea where to turn.

“Where do you go? What do you do? I was completely out of my element.”

Until she found Aleph.

“Aleph saved our life.”

They provided emergency financial assistance for rent, food and other basic necessities. They also sent the kids to camp, giving their mother a desperately-needed respite.

Meanwhile, Aleph surrogates embarked on ensuring that her husband’s needs were met. That included providing him with t’fillin, visiting him regularly, and helping pay his restitution. They also advocated for his timely release.

“Without Aleph, he would sit another three years in jail,” she said.

And during her husband’s entire 18-month incarceration, they provided a lifeline to Miri. Regardless of the day or time, someone was always available to offer emotional support.

“I felt so comfortable to call,” Miri said, “I felt they are sort of my family.”

The importance of such support in sustaining a young family cannot be overstated. In many cases, it is the glue that keeps it from falling apart.

As Miri explains, “I can’t even explain how hard it is to keep your smile on for your kids, to be happy for them. And to work every day, to work with clients, and just to be there. I cry at nights and definitely alone.”

She perseveres—“I choose to live my life happy”–despite having to sell her beloved home and work tirelessly from sunrise to sunset to make ends meet.

She also knows that upon her husband’s release, they will face more struggles.

“I am very angry with him,” she admits, “He didn’t tell me everything. He didn’t prepare me to go through this hard time.”

Still, she hopes to recover and move forward together. “I love my husband. He made a mistake, but we’ll come back and hopefully build from that.”

For now, she is proud of her ability to keep her family together and “to keep on going with happiness.” Despite being a strong woman, who is even stronger now—“this has taken me to a higher level”–she attributes much of her resiliency to Aleph.

“Without Aleph, I would not make it. There’s no way.”

And, she explains, “As time went by, people went back to their lives and stopped helping us. But Aleph was always there for us. They are my heroes.”