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by Sandy Eller for VIN News

Video: Father Of Sassoon Children Gives First Interviews

In two separate interviews today in Israel, Gabriel Sassoon, the father of the seven children who died in this weekend’s shocking fire in Midwood, shared his thoughts on the unspeakable tragedy that destroyed his family.

Sassoon, who stunned the world by publicly accepting the divine decree with love, spoke on Radio Kol Chai and the Mabat News program, publicly proclaiming that it is his love of Hakadosh Baruch Hu that has sustained him during the darkest of hours.

Sassoon said that he hoped the death of his seven children will be a kapara for something and that they won’t have died in vain, and he hopes that the outpouring of love that has enveloped the Jewish nation continues in the form of both achdus and ahavas chinam.

“I saw today the greatness of the Jewish nation,” said Sassoon.  “I thought ‘Who will come to the levaya?’ but I saw so many people and I was proud to be part of the Jewish nation.”

Sassoon said that the same godliness that was evident in the faces of his children can also be found in this catastrophe.

“I love my children,” said Sassoon. “I know that they are, as I said at the levaya, the image of Hashem.  There are things in which is it easier to see the tzelem Elokim, like in children.  But G-d can be found everywhere, even in these sacrifices. It is difficult to deal with, so we make the bracha of Dayan Haemet.”

Sassoon acknowledged that he has no idea how he will go on.

“Now it is easy to relate but I don’t know how things will be in a week,” observed Sassoon.  “How will I sit at my Shabbos table without my children? How can I fulfill the mitzvah of v’higadita l’vincha on Pesach?”

Neither Sassoon’s wife nor his daughter, both of whom remain hospitalized, are aware yet of the devastating losses that have decimated their family.

“How will they deal with this?” wondered Sassoon.  “How will I deal with this?  We will have to cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Sassoon noted that his children were the light of his life.

“I had such nachas from my children.  They were really special children. I have had difficulties previously in my life but they never bothered me because I had my kids. They happiness that they brought me made my life easy, but now I don’t have them. I don’t know what I will do.  We were privileged to have children like this.

“I worked hard. My wife worked hard.  Our lives were all about our children.  I know that I can say to Hakadosh Baruch Hu that the children that you asked us to watch for you are as pure and as holy now as when you gave them to us.”

According to Sassoon, his wife is facing a lengthy recovery having sustained burns to approximately 50 percent of her body.

Both Gayle Sassoon and her daughter Tzipora jumped from the windows of their Bedford Avenue home to escape the blaze, with Mrs. Sassoon making her way across the street to neighbors in the hopes of getting help and saving her children.

Tzipora Sassoon is faring better than her mother and Gabriel Sassoon is returning Wednesday to observe the rest of shiva in New York so that he can spend time with his daughter in the hospital.

“My daughter woke up a little before I left,” said Sassoon.  “She wanted to know how her mother is doing. I told her she is in a different hospital where they are taking care of her. She wanted to know about the rest of the family. I didn’t know what to say.”

Sassoon is requesting that the public daven for both his wife, Gila bas Francis and his daughter, Tzipora bas Gila.

“The tefillot help,” said Sassoon simply.

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8 Comments

  • CH'er

    I sit back thinking of the devastation to this family,, I cant fathom the emotional psychological and mental grief,

    its one of the hardest things to do is to bury a child. let alone 7 of them, not knowing what will be with his wife and last child, “may hashem bring them a total and complete recovery….”

    I hear the words from this father, in pain and anguish. the Faith in hashem that he has is totally amazing,

    personally I don’t think I have that, I don’t think I will be able to accept such a slap in the face from above, despite all the chassidus the farbrengans the powerful words of the Rebbe. I just don’t know… its crazy for me to say this , but…. his faith,… I am jealous of, standing in front of 7 open graves, crying to his words, “I surrender to you Hashem,,, for its the only way to accept this….”

    This man deserves a huge amount of credit.

    may hashem give him all he needs, may he rebuild the beautiful family he once had, and know only goodness and happiness, every day of his life..

  • 48 yr in the hood,

    wow such emunah , we must learn from him
    not get upset at silly stuf in life

  • former resident

    it was reported two or three days ago that the sasoon family did not wish a fund set up on their behalf and any fund claiming alience with the family is fraudulent. i believe donating to your local food bank or humane society is a better option…..

  • To number 3

    If 7 kids dying is silly I don’t want to know what you think is important

    • Ezra

      Reread the comment, please. It’s saying that if Mr. Sassoon can show such emunah in the face of such a tragedy, then surely we can learn from him to have emunah when we are faced with the “silly stuff” in life.

  • Correction of Mothers name

    The mothers name is Gila Bas Francis and the daughters name is Tziporah Bas Gila! Please keep that in mind and may we hear good news!!