Rebbetzin Tali Wohlgelernter, and her husband, Rabbi Tzvi Wohlgelernter, are the directors of Mizrachi OU JLIC in Givat Shmuel and Bar Ilan.
In this very candid interview, Rebbetzin Tali shares her personal story about raising a daughter with Dravet Syndrome (a severe form of epilepsy with seizures that are long and unpredictable.) Rebbetzin Tali shares how her daughter, Sarena’s, illness impacted hers, her husband, and her three other daughters. She also talks about her faith in Hashem (G-d) and how that is helping her get through her life being as human as possible, with good days and bad days, just like everyone else.
Rebbetzin Tali speaks about how Sarena’s illness united her entire family–not just her immediate family, but her extended family as well. She also talks about the best things to do (and not to do) when we reach out to families who are struggling with caring for a special needs child.
Three nuggets of wisdom and empowerment that we can take away from today’s conversation are:
1. Ask for help–reach out to a friend to go out for coffee (or invite her to come over for coffee or to keep you company); if you need help making meals, ask for help; if you need help taking care of your other kids, ask for it; don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help.
2. Don’t lie to yourself. Take some time for yourself and be really honest about your situation.
3. Read the book, Living in the Presence; A Jewish Mindfulness Guide for Everyday Life by Benjamin Epstein. This book will help you to live in the moment without worrying about the past or the future. Being in the moment will help you get through your day.
If you would like to contact Rebbetzin Tali, she can be reached at:
[email protected]
She also wrote a blog earlier on in Sarena’s journey. If you would like to read about her story, please visit www.talismidnightmusings.com
