While many families in this "club" cringe from exposure, RavShimon Schneebalg has put his own shame and discomfort on hold, and gone public
While many families in this club cringe from exposure, Rav Schneebalg has put his own shame and discomfort on hold and has gone public, in order to spearhead a shift in the collective thinking and to make it easier for parents who are struggling in this area.
“We are a very judgmental society,” I remark when we sit together for a wide-ranging conversation about unconditional love, about unfathomable pain, about sleepless nights, about hope and acceptance. “Aren’t you afraid of the embarrassment, of what people will say?”
“Embarrassment?” he said, holding my gaze. “Bushah is a human condition, I won’t deny it’s not there. I just have to remember I’m just a shaliach of HaKadosh Baruch Hu and now, this is my place: to hold the pain and move forward with love and acceptance. And that my pain will generate benefit to other families and other children. My job right now is to do everything possible to make sure people don’t repeat one of the most common, most critical, and most tragic mistakes that we see every day: because alienating oneself from a child that you brought to the world is the greatest embarrassment.”
He makes a shehakol and sips from the cup of tea. It’s not an easy conversation for him. This wasn’t the trajectory his life was supposed to take. Still, he composes himself and continues.
Create a free account to keep reading.
