During Sukkot last year, Esti Kohen, then 10-years-old, decided to bake a cake for guests coming to her home in Pico-Robertson. She always loved it when her parents, the rabbi and rebbetzin at Young Sephardic Community Center, invited people over, and she wanted to be a welcoming host.
But her good intentions suddenly turned tragic: her dress caught on fire. Her father, Yosef, rushed to put out the fire, but by the time he got to her, it had burned 85% of her body.
Over the next several months, Esti went through multiple surgeries in Sacramento. Back in LA, while the community held events for Esti, prayed for her and supported the Kohens in any way they could, Chai Lifeline took care of the needs of their four other children. They were connected to the organization through the Zemel family, who were there from the very first moment Mrs. Zemel arrived at the emergency room. They then proceeded to care for the Kohen children in LA as if they were their own.
Esti finally returned home in April, and is now walking and speaking, but with some difficulty.
This summer, she was given the opportunity to go to Camp Simcha, which is run by Chai Lifeline, and she was honored at the organization’s annual Bike4Chai event August 13. There, in front of 1,500 people, popular Hasidic singer Shulem Lemmer surprised Esti by singing a song she had written about perseverance with her camp counselor.
“It was amazing,” said Rabbi Kohen, Esti’s father. “Seeing her surprised and smiling was worth everything.”
Her mother, Chaya, added, “Esti was on the stage, fulfilling her purpose after the pain and the worst time of her life, and making it into a success story. She saw a lot of love in the room, which gives her courage. It’s everything. It’s chizuk (strength) she will carry forever.”
Camp Simcha, which is in Glen Spey, New York, is a summer camp for children and teens with childhood cancer or chronic illness. Every year, the Jewish community raises funds for Camp Simcha and Chai Lifeline through Bike4Chai, a two-day bike ride featuring hundreds of riders who come out from all over the country, including LA, to participate.
According to Chaya, after spending time at the camp, her daughter is returning to her old self.
“What Esti got in Camp Simcha was happiness,” she said. “She got it back. She is a child again. She is Esti again.”
“She is a child again. She is Esti again.” – Chaya Kohen
Being able to go to camp was one of the many ways in which the Jewish community has helped the Kohens during this difficult ordeal.
“You need a village to go through it,” Chaya said. “The community stepped in. It wasn’t easy. What gives us the koach (strength) to continue is seeing the good things.”
The rabbi added, “Esti got so much love. She really appreciates it. What Chai Lifeline and the community are doing is above and beyond, much more than we could imagine.”
Even though Esti still has more surgeries and treatments to undergo, the Kohens expect positive news ahead.
“Baruch Hashem, she is making steady progress,” Chaya said. “Things are going way better than expected. But recovery after a major burn takes time.”
She continued, “Every week, we are taking steps forward, and she is healing. We hope for a complete refuah (recovery) for her.”
Rabbi Kohen said he will never forget the kindness he experienced in LA and beyond. He let the community know where to go from here.
“We still need your prayers,” he said. “People tell us that Esti is the proof that Hashem is listening to our prayers.”
