Transcription:
There are a number of congregations who set up meal trains, and they even do this with an app online that allows a different family to make a meal each day of the Shiva. And in addition to that, there’s also another kind of sign-up besides a meal train, which is for a person to take upon himself or herself to study a certain section of Torah in memory of the deceased. And usually you’re given 30 days from the time of the departure to finish that area of study. It’s usually Mishnah, but it doesn’t have to be, and that also provides merit and ascension for the soul of the departed. There are so many things that an individual can do to help a family that’s grieving. First of all, it’s important to identify a specific member of the family that you feel that you can connect with most. Don’t make them a project, make them a friend. And quite often, as I tell people all the time, the week after Shiva is more difficult than the week of Shiva. During the week of Shiva, a person is surrounded by family and friends, but then once Shiva is over, everyone goes back to their normal life. And I think that that’s the time when a person’s friends and family members should really make a concerted effort to reach out to the individual, just to do a check-in and see how they’re doing. It usually doesn’t require any financial expenditure to be a support for a grieving family. All it requires is a check-in, a text, an email, a phone call. Just wanted to see how you’re feeling, how’s everything going, I’m here for you. And that’s really all that’s necessary. And those are the most significant kinds of help that you can provide.