[DONATE ONLINE HERE] Nearly half of the $25,800 needed to pay for four Mesei Mitzvah has been raised, leaving $10,500 that still needs to come in. A spokesman for Misaskim thanked the community for helping reach the goal so that these bills could be paid within 10 days. “The community appreciates that the obligation of bringing a Mes Mitzvah to kever yisroel is on everyone,” the spokesman said. “We are grateful for the response and hope that we can raise the remaining money within the next few days.”

The four cases included a Jew who died alone in an institution in an upstate New York facility without next of kin. Misaskim volunteers retrieved the body, performed the tehara, and arrange for the grave opening and the Jewish burial.  A second case involved an elderly woman in Richmond, VA who was almost cremated when a caretaker forged her last will and testament. Horrified relatives contacted Misaskim who retained a lawyer to prove the forgery. Volunteers drove through the night, some 670 miles to transfer the body to New York, did the tahara, and paid for the grave opening and levaya. As a result of the dedication of the volunteers, there was no cost for transporting the body. 

The two other cases included a Jew who died in prison in Rochester. When the family could not pay for the funeral, Misaskim stepped in, driving 680 miles roundtrip to retrieve the body and bringing him to kever yisroel. Misaskim volunteers were not prepared to receive a call from a priest (prison chaplain) to make funeral arrangements for a deceased Jewish prisoner. The Misaskim team brought the prisoner to kever Yisroel. 

Misaskim officials said that they would need the money within the next few days to preserve their trust and integrity for any future eventuality, and are urging the community to help defray the balance of $10,500 for the Mesei Mitzvah. You can donate online here.