{"id":244,"date":"2025-12-04T17:58:18","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T17:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/kol-echad\/?p=244"},"modified":"2025-12-09T19:21:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T19:21:21","slug":"from-survival-to-sanctuary-how-grief-became-a-global-force-for-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/kol-echad\/from-survival-to-sanctuary-how-grief-became-a-global-force-for-good\/","title":{"rendered":"From Survival to Sanctuary: How Grief Became a Global Force for Good"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Yaakov Langer<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

When Susie Domb was seven months pregnant with her fourth child, her world collapsed in a single, unthinkable moment. Her seven-year-old daughter woke her in the middle of the night, asking for her father, but he wasn\u2019t r<\/span>esponding. Within minutes, paramedics arrived, but it was too late. Her husband had died of a sudden aneurysm in his sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Left to raise four children under the age of seven, including a newborn, Susie entered a chapter of life she never imagined. There was no roadmap, no instruction manual\u2014just the day-to-day survival of single motherhood, grief, and the relentless demands of life. \u201cYour life can change in one second,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Susie also learned something else: she wasn\u2019t alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Power of Community<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In those early days, the support from her Jewish comm<\/span>unity <\/span>overwhelmed her. People from every stage of her life showed up to help. They cooked meals, ran errands, took her kids for playdates, and when she couldn\u2019t think straight, they thought for her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, 15 years later, Susie is the one answering the phone. Whenever tragedy strikes, she\u2019s the person people call: What can we do for her? How do we help?<\/span><\/p>\n

And help, she does. Through the Shine Foundation, Susie has created a dignified, private, and loving space for women navigating some of the darkest chapters of<\/span>\u00a0life\u2014most specifically, widowhood and domestic violence.<\/p>\n

One Small Start<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The idea for Shine came shortly after Susie remarried and moved to Manhattan. Her children were older and more independent, her life was stable again, and she felt the pull to give back. \u201cI just wanted to help widows,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s what I knew. That\u2019s what I had lived.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She started small. She rented a single room. She spoke with people in the clothing industry and purchased some clothing. She called local shuls asking if they knew any widows who needed support. Then she invited the women to come, take what they needed for themselves and their kids, and talk.<\/span><\/p>\n

No shame. No judgment. No questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then came the phone call that changed everything. A Jewish organization working with victims of domestic violence asked if they could send women her way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI said yes without really knowing what I was saying yes to,\u201d Susie recalls. \u201cBut I figured\u2014if I can help another person, why not?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She quickly discovered what many still don\u2019t know: the frum community is not immune to domestic violence, and the need is immense.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Safe Space for Dignity<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Shine space looks nothing like a warehouse or donation <\/span>center. Everything is new. Everything has tags. From shoes to uniforms, coats to toothbrushes, bedding to pajamas, the goal is the same: to make these women and their children feel like everyone else.<\/span><\/p>\n

They walk in shy and unsure. They ask, \u201cIs this really free?\u201d Susie answers, \u201cYes. It\u2019s for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They take clothing for themselves and their children, but Susie encourages them to take a little extra. \u201cTake another size,\u201d she tells them. \u201cGive it as a gift. You deserve to give too. It\u2019s not easy to just receive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The women never come with their children\u2014a deliberate choice to preserve dignity. And while Susie doesn\u2019t ask questions, many of the women open up anyway. \u201cIt\u2019s a safe space,\u201d she says. \u201cThey feel it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

From One Day to Six Days a Week<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What began as a once-a-month Sunday project quickly outgrew itself. \u201cThirt<\/span>y women in one day was too muc<\/span>\"\"<\/span><\/em>h\u2014for them and for me,\u201d she admits. Her husband noticed it was taking a toll. So she <\/span>expanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, Shine operates six days a week. Women come by appointment, referred through vetted channels from established Jewish organizations like Met Council, JCC, and OHEL. The one small room expanded to three, and eventually even that wasn\u2019t enough. They now operate out of a new, large, dignified space.<\/span><\/p>\n

On a typical day, a woman walks in overwhelmed. She sees shoes, clothing, undergarments, school supplies\u2014even Shabbos candlesticks. She walks out with full bags\u2014and often a full heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Women return every six months, timed to seasons or milestones: back to school, Yom Tov, summer camp. \u201cEverything from A to Z,\u201d Susie says. \u201cEverything a Jewish woman and her children would need.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond New York<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In just four years, Shine has expanded far beyond its Manhattan roots. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they shipped supplies to Jewish orphanages. When wildfires broke out in California, they sent boxes to affected families.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In Israel, Shine works closely with organizations supporting widows <\/span>of terror victims and fallen sol<\/span>diers. They send boxes of clothing, essentials, and gifts. They even outfitted a kallah and her mother, who had recently lost her husband, for Sheva Brachot. \u201cThe mother was too embarrassed to come and take anything,\u201d Susie laughs. \u201cSo w<\/span>e just sent her clothes anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

They also support children <\/span>directly. One story stands out: a fifth-grade orphan who was bullied for wearing old clothing. Shine sent her new outfits. The next day, every girl in her class wanted to know where she got her shoes. \u201cShe had never felt seen before,\u201d Susie says. \u201cIt changed everything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A Mitzvah of Quiet Strength<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Shine doesn\u2019t take walk-ins. Everything runs through referrals. This ensures that everyone is properly vetted, but it also reflects Susie\u2019s philosophy of doing things quietly. There\u2019s no glitz, no spotlight. Even fundraising events are rare. Some brands donate merchandise, but the operation is largely supported <\/span>by Susie\u2019s husband, Ron, and a few private donors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Susie has no formal background in social work. She never studied nonprofit management. But what she does have is empathy, drive, and deep emunah. \u201cI remember lying in bed at night and just thanking Hashem for getting me through the day,\u201d she says. \u201cI don\u2019t even know how I did it. It was like I had this<\/span> superpower.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She thinks about the women who now sit where she once sat\u2014the widows, the single moms, the<\/span><\/p>\n

a<\/span>bused. She thinks of the Torah\u2019s warning not to harm the widow or orphan. And she understands it intimately: the loneliness, the feeling of being overwhelmed, the loss of dignity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI get it,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s so hard to feel normal after something like that. But I went through it. I came out the other side. And now I get to help others rebuild.\u201d Quietly. Dignified. And with all the love in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yaakov Langer is the founder of Living L\u2019chaim and the \u201cInspiration for the Nation,\u201d where he interviews a wide range of Jewish voices around the world. His platform has grown to over 1.6 million subscribers through consistent, thoughtful content and guest selection.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The Shine Foundation works directly with organizations and can be reached at:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Email:<\/span> info@shine-foundation.com<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Phone: (917) 302-9334<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Website: <\/span>www.shine-foundation.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To sign up for the Kol Echad Limited Series E-Magazine, click here: https:\/\/www.ou.org\/kolechademail\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Yaakov Langer When Susie Domb was seven months pregnant with her fourth child, her world collapsed in a single, unthinkable moment. Her seven-year-old daughter woke her in the middle of the night, asking for her father, but he wasn\u2019t responding. Within minutes, paramedics arrived, but it was too late. Her husband had died of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":134185,"featured_media":247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-making-a-difference"],"yoast_head":"\nFrom Survival to Sanctuary: How Grief Became a Global Force for Good - Kol Echad<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/kol-echad\/from-survival-to-sanctuary-how-grief-became-a-global-force-for-good\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From Survival to Sanctuary: How Grief Became a Global Force for Good - Kol Echad\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"by Yaakov Langer When Susie Domb was seven months pregnant with her fourth child, her world collapsed in a single, unthinkable moment. 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