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Brooklyn, NY – Just six short months after the tragic deaths of seven of his precious children, Gabriel Sassoon, 52, has found himself to be something of an unlikely hero to other suffering souls around the world.
In a wide-ranging interview with Ynet News (http://bit.ly/1j18NQ7), Sassoon spoke about what he sees as a new calling for himself following the passing of his children in a horrific house fire – to console and counsel those who have lost their way, and to be a husband to his still healing wife, Gayle, and their lone surviving child, 15-year-old Tziporah.
As the shloshim for Eliane, 16; Rivkah, 13; David, 12; Yeshua, 10; Moshe, 8; Sarah, 7; and Yaakov, 5 arrived, Sassoon said he wondered if he could carry on or if he even wanted to continue living. “I remember traveling to Israel to visit the graves 30 days after the disaster,” Sassoon said. “I was staying with friends who don’t have children so that it wouldn’t hurt too much. At the end of the month, I felt that I needed to decide whether I wanted to live or not. I told myself, ‘get up, clip your nails, shave, and choose life. You still have work to do in this world.”
Upon his return to New York, Sassoon was suddenly inundated with calls and messages from suicidal youth, people struggling from illness and financial problems, unmarried individuals, desperate parents with drug-addicted kids, and many others from all walks of life. He has also become a much sought after speaker, booking speaking engagements across the United States and around the world. He has even been asked to give a TED talk. Though he has unexpectedly been thrust into this new role, he has, nevertheless, embraced it.
“Suddenly I, still digesting the magnitude of my disaster, need to encourage others,” Sassoon shared. “People ask me how I get up each morning. . . They only ask me to give them tools, another way of thinking. I don’t work miracles. I don’t know where I get the answers – it comes out of me. I think people don’t believe I can go on living and they see me as some kind of inspiration, because if I can go on living, anyone can. . . .I very quickly understood it’s also a destiny.”
It’s this sense of purpose that helped Sassoon to choose to live his new life, “a different life path” that he says God chose for him. He believes there is a higher reason for him to stay alive – to serve as kind of mentor to those have survived and endured tragedy. Sassoon says he was once asked why he hasn’t committed suicide or taken drugs since the catastrophe. “Killing yourself is the easiest thing to do,” Sassoon responded. “Persevering and building yourself anew is the real test. That’s what’s called living. I do take a drug. My drug is the Torah.”
Sassoon is also careful to mention that he does not want people to pity or feel sorry for him. “Life teaches us to build even out of the rubble, Sassoon says. “But for that, you need to completely submit to God, because if we start looking for material answers, how can you go on?”
Sassoon doesn’t indulge in games of what if? or question whether his children might still be alive today if he had been home that fateful Friday night when flames engulfed his Brooklyn home. “No, you don’t ask what would’ve been. . .The Almighty wanted my children next to Him and He gave me a new job in life. It was the will of the Almighty, simple as that.”
For now, the Sassoons continue to heal and rebuild at their own pace. They have relocated to New Jersey to live with Gayle Sassoon’s parents. Painful reminders of happy times spent with their children constantly surround them, but Sassoon says he and his wife push themselves to move forward. “We’ve become a new family, just three souls, and we need each other.”
A very weak and tired Gayle Sassoon also spoke to Ynet by phone, describing how she has managed to cope since the death of her children. “It’s difficult, it’s very difficult for me,” she said. “But the family helps and supports us, and Gabriel knows how to encourage me. He knows what to say. He takes me walking when I have the strength to go out for a bit.” Their daughter, Tziporah, has returned to school, but is still undergoing treatments. Gayle says she and her husband know they have to be strong for their lone surviving child. “My children wanted to live, so I have to live for them,” she said.
This Yom Kippur will be six months since the Sassoon children were returned to their “Creator,” and this High Holiday season has a totally different feeling than in previous years, Sassoon admits. But he finds that being a “surrendered man” and “completely humbling” himself to God’s will is the only course of action. “A person needs to understand they don’t determine anything here,” he says. “Just look at what happened to my family. We don’t determine anything. Deep inside, everyone understands it.”
Nebech, who can look at that first photo and not cry.
im not sure he should be a paid inspirational speaker, it kinda takes away from his greatness a bit.
What can one say to a man of such strength in the face of such adversity? Words cannot express the sadness that I feel for him, his wife and daughter.
I can only continue to pray that hkbh grant them strength to cope, and that the coming year should bring them answered bakashos. A gut yur, Mr. Sassoon. You are a beacon of strength to us all.
Sorry, he should be speaking about smoke detectors, not inspiration. That is the powerful message he should be sharing and it is the message that can save lives.
Help suicidal people sounds a priority. At the same time with smoke detectors probably one or more would have died too. You have to beieve llin Bechira / Bashert . Its a thing that takes a whole shiur to think of. Hashem gsve us a bechira but He knows what we will choose . There are tapes and CDs about it. Smoke detectors and equipmentns safety too.
#4 is right on. He should be talking about smoke detectors. From what I have read and heard I am not sure what else he has to offer anyone.
#6 are you J?
He was always a great man, of very low profile. Only his closed ones knew him. Unfortunately tragedy had to reveal his greatness to the world. He could have decided to shut down and willow with life. Instead he got up and his doing through ratzon Hashem by emulating his emunah and bitachon in Hashem and spreading it. Is this not worthy to call him great?! Look at yourself and see Where you are standing in the world! Every person has a tafkid to emulate Hashem and spread light in this world by doing good etc.
Hashem should continue to give them all Koach to go on, and a refuah shelama
to the mom and daughter we dont understand Hashems way, we have to accept the life He gives us. May Hashem bring Moshiach speedily in our times
I honestly get tears in my eyes thinking about him and his wife, the fact they wake up every day makes them tzadikim gemurim. No words can comfort him, nothing. oy meh hoyo lonu.
Mr. Sasoon is an inspiration to all. However as a mother of children, I cannot fathom how Mrs. Sasoon copes every single passing day. She gave birth to these children, and spent many sleepless nights raising them, cooking for them, shopping, etc. EVERYTHING. My heart breaks for her. and if she can go on living – SHE IS MY HERO! May Hashem comfort her and bless her with only peace and happiness for the future.
I stand with #4 ! Had he had working smoke detectors, this unfathomable tragedy would never have occurred! Stop trying to placate the public with every other kind of nonsense! One day, the authorities will charge the parents with murder for not have had working smoke detectors. There is no excuse for allowing children to reside in a home without them.
I think the point you are all missing is the message that Hashem is trying to convey to us. Klal YIsroel as a whole is not hearing the message but rather the tragedy, I am not belitting this horrific gezara, but it is one message after another and still no dramatic reaction from benai Yisroel as a whole. What will it take for us all to wake up and cry out to Hashem and do tshuva.
Reply to 4 you are correct, if it makes things better for him he can be an inspirational speaker as well, but he also should be speaking about things like smoke detectors and fire drills etc.
I am horrified at what I have read above. I wonder if klopping Al Cheit is enough for you heartless, cruel people. Smoke detectors? Murder charges? You are beyond sick. The man lost 7 children in one fell swoop and you question why (if??) he gets paid for speaking? I pray G-d never inflicts this level of pain on any of you, so that you never have to go on living in such grief.
I looked in the mirror, klapped al Cheit, and now I implore all of you to follow the Torah and install smoke detectors. The world works according to Teva. Unfortunately, dreadfully, and there were tears in my home too, the Sassons made two terrible mistakes. The first was using an unsafe hot plate and leaving it unattended. This would have been catastrophic, but not deadly, had they not made the second mistake of not installing smoke detectors. Read up or ask a firefighter, we don’t have fires in this country with 7 fatalities because we use smoke detectors. So hate me, I don’t really care, but protect your children so I don’t have to mourn them. Also, please don’t blame G-d for the negligence of His people.
Very tragic. It happened after a solar eclipse, could it be a sign from G-d? I do not know, but it makes me think of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, Tribulation & rapture. Heartbreaking anyway.
Everybody is responsible for what they do, but no matter what you do the outcome is from hashem.Yes they should of had smoke detectors in their home,but this is not the reason why these children lost their lives.They lost their lives because hashem wanted it so, yes they should of had smoke detectors.How insensitive of you people are with all these insensitive comments. How about taking out a chovas halvuvos and seeing who had a hand in this tragedy,if you do so, you will be embarassed with your insensitive comments.SHAME ON YOU !!!!!