Dear Jews,

I have seen many difficult cases over the years in Kupas Yerushalayim. But when I visited the Brand family’s apartment, I was truly shaken.

The home they live in is unlivable. The roof is cracked and crumbling. Water leaks into every room when it rains. Mold covers the walls. The air is thick with dampness and decay. And yes—one night, a cat literally fell through the ceiling while the children were sleeping.

The family didn’t even scream. They’ve grown used to things falling apart. That’s what broke my heart most.

They’re living in a tiny, 450-square-foot apartment — barely a room and a half — because it’s the only place they could afford after being evicted from their previous home. The parents both work hard, but after paying rent and tuition, there is nothing left. 

They can’t fix the roof, or try to find a new apartment. They’ve divided the living room with a piece of plywood to create space. Their “kitchen” is a countertop in a hallway. There’s no insulation, no warmth, and no safety.

It’s hard to describe just how terrible it is without seeing it with your own eyes.

I’m not writing to you because this is a sad story. I’m writing because we can fix it — and we must.

Every donation will go directly to renovating the home — sealing the roof, drying the walls, removing the mold, and making it livable again. It will also help relieve the crushing debts they’ve accumulated just trying to survive. 

Your help can take them out of this unthinkable reality — a home where children live in fear and filth — and give them something so simple, yet so life-changing: a safe, dry, warm place to call home.

Please, let us not leave them trapped in this nightmare a day longer. Give this family the stability, dignity, and peace they’ve been denied for far too long.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Rabbi Shmuel Klein
Kupas Yerushalayim

Additional Haskamos for the Brand Family: