A Legacy Continues: Askunis Darchei Chaim Ber

By: C.G. Hoffman

The untimely passing of the legendary Baal Chesed, R’ Chaim Ber Meisels z”l has left an enormous, gaping void in the world of Chesed. Countless widows and orphans had come to depend on him, and many impoverished recipients of his devotion to tzedaka are left with nowhere else to turn.

R’ Chaim Ber z”l singlehandedly supported untold numbers of people, from helping desperate chasanim raise funds for their weddings, to the hidden poor who looked like anyone else but struggled to put food on their tables. He was a chesed powerhouse, and with his inimitable smile and indefatigable spirit worked tirelessly around the clock to collect money for those in need.

Askanim in the community have resolved to continue his legacy of Chesed, although R’ Chaim Ber accomplished the seemingly impossible all on his own. They have founded the new organization, Askunis Darchei Chaim Ber, to address the critical need for tzedaka that was laid bare with R’ Chaim Ber’s passing. They have resolved to answer the desperate cry of those he left behind: Who will be there for us now that R’ Chaim Ber is no longer with us?

The new organization is determined to follow R’ Chaim Ber’s holy approach. All an applicant will need to do will be to make a simple phone call, and all applications will be handled with the utmost confidentiality. The committee will first connect applicants with the existing Chesed organizations that most suit their needs, and then will devote themselves to helping them get back on their feet. They are also determined to train another generation of Askanim, Yidden who want to emulate R’ Chaim Ber’s derech of giving with one’s heart and soul, by training askanim to deal with specific categories of need. People going through crises need more than just money to help them get back on their feet, and a compassionate listening ear is the best way to determine what that is, be it therapy, tutoring, or any other extra help.

R’ Chaim Ber z”l may no longer be with us, and his larger-than-life personality can never be replaced, but we hope that his legacy of Chesed will continue. His life of chesed is an inspiration to us, and a new generation of askanim are here to answer the call of those in need.