One Mother’s Final Wish: Celebrate Sons’ Birthday and Bar Mitzvah Before I Die

One Mother’s Final Wish: Celebrate Sons’ Birthday and Bar Mitzvah Before I Die

The following is a translated excerpt from the article “A Final Celebration, and a Farewell” by Goel Bano (Yediot Achronot, Feb 2, ’15)

Until a year and a half ago, Yamit Karnet from Kfar Baruch led a completely regular life. And then troubles fell upon her family when she was diagnosed with cancer…

In the time that has passed since then, Yamit hasn’t managed to win her battle against the dreaded disease. Today, she is hospitalized in extremely critical condition at Haifa’s Rambam Hospital. She is only receiving treatment to relieve her pain.

Yamit explains,”Unfortunately, the cancer which began in the cervix has spread to the rest of my body. We went a month ago to the Western Wall, the children prayed for my well-being, they put notes into the Wall, and I asked for health so that I can continue to raise them, but that’s not going to happen. This is it. I know that the end is near and I hope that I will suffer as little as possible. I am going to the World which is all good, and I ask myself how I am leaving behind five children and going away. It pains me to think that they will want to talk with Eema, and they won’t have anybody to speak with,” she says with pain.

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After the doctors told her that she has, at most, one month more to live, Yamit requested to move up the 6th birthday party of her son, Mikel, by three weeks. The day before yesterday she was brought to his kindergarten and participated in a sad celebration. Lots of balloons, lots of songs, and lots of tears– of joy, emotion, and pain–accompanied the event. Yamit, in a wheelchair, her arm bandaged, was surrounded by her husband, Ofer, and their children– daughter Danielle (13), and sons Ariel (11.5), Gavriel (10), Mikel (6), and Shayel (4), whom she didn’t stop hugging and kissing.

Last Thursday, Yamit made another request to a family friend, “I want to make a bar mitzvah party for Ariel. I know he’s only 11 and a half, but I don’t want to miss the chance to make him happy.”

Within 6 hours kindhearted, generous donors had donated everything for the bar mitzvah–catering, a guest singer, flowers and balloons, clothing, makeup, and a special wig for Yamit.

There was nothing missing, and everything in order to help her see with her own eyes the realization of her final dream.

5 comments

  1. This is heartbreaking. I am glad for the help of friends and family to please Yamit. May she truly know that Hashem is with her and may she be comforted in her last days – and her family as well.

  2. Yamit: You are an inspiring Jewish Mom.

  3. The doctors say she has only one month to live. This is al pi tevah; where is the Eibeshter in all of this?. He is the true Healer; and He will do what He wants to do and when He wants to do it all in miraculous ways. We Yidden exist m’maale m’hateva above nature. In a blink of an eye, her fate can change. May we all hear good news soon, and may she dance at her son’s bar mitzvah when he is davka 13 and dance at her daughter’s chasuna as well and more good news to come as well

  4. I just feel this is a tragedy. It is terribly sad. I don’t believe any of us can understand why this is happening. I think we will only know after we enter the world to come. I have five friends who have died from this horrible disease. I’m really at a loss for words.

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