High-flying rebbetzin makes wishes come true

FREDA KAPLAN, the Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue rebbetzin, has raised more than £18,000 through a charity skydive, with the aim of helping the terminally ill to fulfil their final wishes.

Mrs Kaplan turned to the Wish Ambulance initiative in Israel to ensure that her father could attend her son’s wedding four days before he died.

The proceeds from Sunday’s skydive in Suffolk takes her fundraising effort — for an ambulance to be used in the UK — to more than half the £90,000 required. It will benefit both Jewish and non-Jewish patients and will also be used by North London Hospice.

Mrs Kaplan — whose charitable work has included helping to run an educational programme in the Calais refugee camp — said the skydive had been “absolutely amazing.

“Before I went up, a full rainbow appeared in the sky, which was beautiful. The man who owned the skydiving school said he hadn’t seen one like it in years and knowing what the rainbow means in our tradition [a positive sign], it just felt right.”

The rebbetzin had anticipated feeling apprehensive before the jump —made with one of the UK’s two female skydiving instructors — but in the event, was “exhilarated. It felt like I was in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing. It was a remarkable privilege.”

After completing the dive, she said: Freda Kaplan with her head in the clouds — and with the certificate recording her skydive “I want to go back up again.”

The charity is “an incredible cause and my personal story strikes a chord with people. We didn’t think there was any way my dad was going to be at my son’s wedding.

“He was bedridden and in a hospice at the time. We said: ‘We understand it can’t happen that he comes to the wedding, even though he’d love to go.’ But a nurse said: ‘Actually, it can.’

“The charity put it together in 24 hours. He was there with us, which was very special.”

S h e wante d t o d o n a t e t h e ambulance “in my dad’s name as a gift from the Jewish community to the wider community. Whether it’s to go to a wedding, a football match or the beach, making that wish come true is important for a lot of people.”

‘I felt like I was in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing’