Dozens of Child Drowning Cases: How to Find Consolation?

A series of alarming drowning incidents has struck the people of Israel in recent weeks. Yesterday, hearts were shattered upon hearing the tragedy when a 5-year-old girl drowned to death at a guesthouse. Last week, a 3-year-old boy drowned in a private pool at a guesthouse in the settlement of Yavne'el in the Lower Galilee. Despite extensive resuscitation efforts, doctors had to declare his death. Last Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy named Achia Erki died at the “Ziv” hospital in Safed, after jumping off an improvised diving board into the Jordan River. He hit a friend's head in the water, sank, and drowned. He was pulled from the water unconscious and passed away a few hours later. On the same day, a one-year-old baby drowned a week earlier in a tub at his home in Jerusalem, and he died at “Shaare Zedek” hospital. A day before, a five-month-old baby girl died at “Ichilov” hospital in Tel Aviv after drowning during a bath in the bathroom sink. About three weeks ago, a nine-year-old girl drowned to death in a hotel pool at the Dead Sea. Since the beginning of the year, 30 young children have drowned to death. This is an incomprehensible tragedy.

A letter of condolences sent by Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe zt”l, one of the greatest mentors of the previous generation, offers us some consolation in these tragedies:

“To the dear bereaved parents, may Hashem comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. I am with you in your sorrow,” Rabbi Wolbe began his letter. “I write these humble words, and all I want to say is: You did not raise your precious son a”h for nothing, because he lives and is not 'dead,' Heaven forbid. This pure soul does not need to suffer any rectification pains, G-d forbid. Your son is now in the 'Talmud Torah' of Hashem, learning the entire Torah from Him, and eternal joy is upon him. Let this be your consolation, because your son lives.”

Rabbi Wolbe further adds in his letter, noting that “once in the city of Kelm, a boy drowned in the sea, and when his father arrived at the funeral, the ‘Saba from Kelm’ said he wanted to speak with him. The ‘Saba’ secluded himself with the father for about an hour, and when the bereaved father left the ‘Saba's’ room, he said, it is clear to him that his son lives, just as someone who has traveled from here to America and lives there. His son just moved to another world, but there he lives true life.

“Your son lives. May the Blessed Hashem grant that you need no longer grieve,” concludes Rabbi Wolbe in his letter of consolation.

Meanwhile, Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein recalls how once he arrived with Rabbi Yehuda Tzadka zt”l, head of the ‘Porat Yosef’ yeshiva, to console parents whose son drowned in his youth.

Rabbi Tzadka turned to the bereaved parents and said to them: “This world is like a bus whose route consists of many stops. Some get off at the first stop, some ride until the second, and others get off towards the end. Do passengers ever ask themselves why someone got off at the first stop? - No. And the reason is, they also understand that if he gets off there, he probably has a reason. Perhaps he works there, maybe his parents reside there and he is going to visit them, or any other reason.

“Even you, the parents,” Rabbi Tzadka continued, “should not question why your son got off at one of the first stops of his life, for surely there is a heavenly reason for this.”

Take care: Click here for the “Beterem” organization's guidelines and keep your children safe near water.