In May of 2001, Seth and Sherri Mandel received the worst news that a parent could hear: their eldest son, Koby, had been cruelly murdered.
Sherri and Seth didn't know how they could possibly continue to live without their child -- nor did they want to.
But in the decade since that horrible tragedy, the Mandells have learned that pain can be channeled into growth, and that while you never go back to being the person you once were, the pain is a springboard to become even greater.
The Mandells founded Camp Koby, a camp for children who've lost a loved one to a terrorist attack, and the Koby Mandell Foundation, helping mothers and widows find solace and support in community.
Here, Mrs. Mandell shares her "five Cs" -- for thriving in the face of tragedy. "The thing that could help us was [giving] love and creating meaning," she said and noted that "once you can tell your story, it can change."
The talk was delivered at the annual JLI "Land and the Spirit" trip to Israel. For information about JLI's summer experience visit JRetreat.com
