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Shaina Welner, a lively high school student in Phoenix, Arizona, passed away on Shabbos, 29 Iyar 5783 after battling cancer.

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Shaina possessed an incredible zest for life. Whether engaging in davening, learning, activities, sports, or in heartfelt conversations with friends, Shaina embraced every moment with boundless energy and an infectious smile that could light up any room.

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Despite the trials and tribulations of fighting her illness, Shaina faced this harrowing battle with an unwavering spirit, demonstrating resilience, strength, and an unwavering determination to overcome the adversities that came her way. Throughout the journey, Shaina remained an inspiration to all, teaching others the true meaning of bravery and hope.

Tehillim

Shaina passed away just two days into her 17th year of life (after her 16th birthday.) This year, it is Tehillim (Psalm) 18 that corresponds to her age, and her family has asked everyone to say this kapitel Tehillim daily in her merit.

פרק יח

  1. לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀ לְעֶ֥בֶד יְהֹוָ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר דִּבֶּ֨ר ׀ לַיהֹוָ֗ה אֶת־דִּ֭בְרֵי הַשִּׁירָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את בְּי֤וֹם הִֽצִּיל־יְהֹוָ֘ה אוֹת֥וֹ מִכַּ֥ף כׇּל־אֹ֝יְבָ֗יו וּמִיַּ֥ד שָׁאֽוּל׃

  2. וַיֹּאמַ֡ר אֶרְחׇמְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה חִזְקִֽי׃ 

  3. יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ סַ֥לְעִ֥י וּמְצוּדָתִ֗י וּמְפַ֫לְטִ֥י אֵלִ֣י צ֭וּרִי אֶֽחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ מָֽגִנִּ֥י וְקֶֽרֶן־יִ֝שְׁעִ֗י מִשְׂגַּבִּֽי׃ 

  4. מְ֭הֻלָּל אֶקְרָ֣א יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמִן־אֹ֝יְבַ֗י אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃ 

  5. אֲפָפ֥וּנִי חֶבְלֵי־מָ֑וֶת וְֽנַחֲלֵ֖י בְלִיַּ֣עַל יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי׃ 

  6. חֶבְלֵ֣י שְׁא֣וֹל סְבָב֑וּנִי קִ֝דְּמ֗וּנִי מ֣וֹקְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃ 

  7. בַּצַּר־לִ֤י ׀ אֶ֥קְרָ֣א יְהֹוָה֮ וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֢י אֲשַׁ֫וֵּ֥עַ יִשְׁמַ֣ע מֵהֵיכָל֣וֹ קוֹלִ֑י וְ֝שַׁוְעָתִ֗י לְפָנָ֤יו ׀ תָּב֬וֹא בְאׇזְנָֽיו׃ 

  8. וַתִּגְעַ֬שׁ וַתִּרְעַ֨שׁ ׀ הָאָ֗רֶץ וּמוֹסְדֵ֣י הָרִ֣ים יִרְגָּ֑זוּ וַ֝יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ כִּי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ׃ 

  9. עָ֘לָ֤ה עָשָׁ֨ן ׀ בְּאַפּ֗וֹ וְאֵשׁ־מִפִּ֥יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּ֝חָלִ֗ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ 

  10. וַיֵּ֣ט שָׁ֭מַיִם וַיֵּרַ֑ד וַ֝עֲרָפֶ֗ל תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָֽיו׃ 

  11. וַיִּרְכַּ֣ב עַל־כְּ֭רוּב וַיָּעֹ֑ף וַ֝יֵּ֗דֶא עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃ 

  12. יָ֤שֶׁת חֹ֨שֶׁךְ ׀ סִתְר֗וֹ סְבִֽיבוֹתָ֥יו סֻכָּת֑וֹ חֶשְׁכַת־מַ֝֗יִם עָבֵ֥י שְׁחָקִֽים׃ 

  13. מִנֹּ֗גַהּ נֶ֫גְדּ֥וֹ עָבָ֥יו עָבְר֑וּ בָּ֝רָ֗ד וְגַֽחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ׃

  14. וַיַּרְעֵ֬ם בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀ יְֽהֹוָ֗ה וְ֭עֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּ֣ן קֹל֑וֹ בָּ֝רָ֗ד וְגַֽחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ׃ 

  15. וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח חִ֭צָּיו וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם וּבְרָקִ֥ים רָ֝֗ב וַיְהֻמֵּֽם׃ 

  16. וַיֵּ֤רָא֨וּ ׀ אֲפִ֥יקֵי מַ֗יִם וַֽיִּגָּלוּ֮ מוֹסְד֢וֹת תֵּ֫בֵ֥ל מִגַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֑ה מִ֝נִּשְׁמַ֗ת ר֣וּחַ אַפֶּֽךָ׃ 

  17. יִשְׁלַ֣ח מִ֭מָּרוֹם יִקָּחֵ֑נִי יַֽ֝מְשֵׁ֗נִי מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ 

  18. יַצִּילֵ֗נִי מֵאֹיְבִ֥י עָ֑ז וּ֝מִשֹּׂנְאַ֗י כִּֽי־אָמְצ֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ 

  19. יְקַדְּמ֥וּנִי בְיוֹם־אֵידִ֑י וַֽיְהִי־יְהֹוָ֖ה לְמִשְׁעָ֣ן לִֽי׃ 

  20. וַיּוֹצִיאֵ֥נִי לַמֶּרְחָ֑ב יְ֝חַלְּצֵ֗נִי כִּ֘י חָ֥פֵֽץ בִּֽי׃ 

  21. יִגְמְלֵ֣נִי יְהֹוָ֣ה כְּצִדְקִ֑י כְּבֹ֥ר יָ֝דַ֗י יָשִׁ֥יב לִֽי׃ 

  22. כִּֽי־שָׁ֭מַרְתִּי דַּרְכֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־רָ֝שַׁ֗עְתִּי מֵאֱלֹהָֽי׃ 

  23. כִּ֣י כׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וְ֝חֻקֹּתָ֗יו לֹא־אָסִ֥יר מֶֽנִּי׃ 

  24. וָאֱהִ֣י תָמִ֣ים עִמּ֑וֹ וָ֝אֶשְׁתַּמֵּ֗ר מֵעֲוֺנִֽי׃ 

  25. וַיָּֽשֶׁב־יְהֹוָ֣ה לִ֣י כְצִדְקִ֑י כְּבֹ֥ר יָ֝דַ֗י לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ 

  26. עִם־חָסִ֥יד תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד עִם־גְּבַ֥ר תָּ֝מִ֗ים תִּתַּמָּֽם׃ 

  27. עִם־נָבָ֥ר תִּתְבָּרָ֑ר וְעִם־עִ֝קֵּ֗שׁ תִּתְפַּתָּֽל׃ 

  28. כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה עַם־עָנִ֣י תוֹשִׁ֑יעַ וְעֵינַ֖יִם רָמ֣וֹת תַּשְׁפִּֽיל׃ 

  29. כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה תָּאִ֣יר נֵרִ֑י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י יַגִּ֥יהַּ חׇשְׁכִּֽי׃ 

  30. כִּֽי־בְ֭ךָ אָרֻ֣ץ גְּד֑וּד וּ֝בֵֽאלֹהַ֗י אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר׃ 

  31. הָאֵל֮ תָּמִ֢ים דַּ֫רְכּ֥וֹ אִמְרַֽת־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְרוּפָ֑ה מָגֵ֥ן ה֝֗וּא לְכֹ֤ל ׀ הַחֹסִ֬ים בּֽוֹ׃ 

  32. כִּ֤י מִ֣י אֱ֭לוֹהַּ מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמִ֥י צ֝֗וּר זוּלָתִ֥י אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ 

  33. הָ֭אֵל הַמְאַזְּרֵ֣נִי חָ֑יִל וַיִּתֵּ֖ן תָּמִ֣ים דַּרְכִּֽי׃ 

  34. מְשַׁוֶּ֣ה רַ֭גְלַי כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת וְעַ֥ל בָּ֝מֹתַ֗י יַעֲמִידֵֽנִי׃ 

  35. מְלַמֵּ֣ד יָ֭דַי לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְֽנִחֲתָ֥ה קֶֽשֶׁת־נְ֝חוּשָׁ֗ה זְרוֹעֹתָֽי׃ 

  36. וַתִּתֶּן־לִי֮ מָגֵ֢ן יִ֫שְׁעֶ֥ךָ וִֽימִינְךָ֥ תִסְעָדֵ֑נִי וְֽעַנְוַתְךָ֥ תַרְבֵּֽנִי׃ 

  37. תַּרְחִ֣יב צַעֲדִ֣י תַחְתָּ֑י וְלֹ֥א מָ֝עֲד֗וּ קַרְסֻלָּֽי׃ 

  38. אֶרְדּ֣וֹף א֭וֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵ֑ם וְלֹֽא־אָ֝שׁ֗וּב עַד־כַּלּוֹתָֽם׃ 

  39. אֶ֭מְחָצֵם וְלֹא־יֻ֣כְלוּ ק֑וּם יִ֝פְּל֗וּ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָֽי׃ 

  40. וַתְּאַזְּרֵ֣נִי חַ֭יִל לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה תַּכְרִ֖יעַ קָמַ֣י תַּחְתָּֽי׃ 

  41. וְֽאֹיְבַ֗י נָתַ֣תָּה לִּ֣י עֹ֑רֶף וּ֝מְשַׂנְאַ֗י אַצְמִיתֵֽם׃ 

  42. יְשַׁוְּע֥וּ וְאֵין־מוֹשִׁ֑יעַ עַל־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה וְלֹ֣א עָנָֽם׃ 

  43. וְֽאֶשְׁחָקֵ֗ם כְּעָפָ֥ר עַל־פְּנֵי־ר֑וּחַ כְּטִ֖יט חוּצ֣וֹת אֲרִיקֵֽם׃ 

  44. תְּפַלְּטֵנִי֮ מֵרִ֢יבֵ֫י עָ֥ם תְּ֭שִׂימֵנִי לְרֹ֣אשׁ גּוֹיִ֑ם עַ֖ם לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי יַֽעַבְדֽוּנִי׃ 

  45. לְשֵׁ֣מַֽע אֹ֭זֶן יִשָּׁ֣מְעוּ לִ֑י בְּנֵֽי־נֵ֝כָ֗ר יְכַחֲשׁוּ־לִֽי׃ 

  46. בְּנֵי־נֵכָ֥ר יִבֹּ֑לוּ וְ֝יַחְרְג֗וּ מִֽמִּסְגְּרֽוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ 

  47. חַי־יְ֭הֹוָה וּבָר֣וּךְ צוּרִ֑י וְ֝יָר֗וּם אֱלוֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃ 

  48. הָאֵ֗ל הַנּוֹתֵ֣ן נְקָמ֣וֹת לִ֑י וַיַּדְבֵּ֖ר עַמִּ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽי׃ 

  49. מְפַלְּטִ֗י מֵאֹ֫יְבָ֥י אַ֣ף מִן־קָ֭מַי תְּרוֹמְמֵ֑נִי מֵאִ֥ישׁ חָ֝מָ֗ס תַּצִּילֵֽנִי׃ 

  50. עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ אוֹדְךָ֖ בַגּוֹיִ֥ם ׀ יְהֹוָ֑ה וּלְשִׁמְךָ֥ אֲזַמֵּֽרָה׃ 

  51. מַגְדִּל֮ יְשׁוּע֢וֹת מַ֫לְכּ֥וֹ וְעֹ֤שֶׂה חֶ֨סֶד ׀ לִמְשִׁיח֗וֹ לְדָוִ֥ד וּלְזַרְע֗וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

  1. For the Conductor. By the servant of the Lord, by David, who chanted the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.
     

  2. He said, "I love You, Lord, my strength.
     

  3. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my rescuer. My God is my strength in Whom I take shelter, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
     

  4. With praises I call upon the Lord, and I am saved from my enemies.
     

  5. For the pangs of death surrounded me, and torrents of evil people terrified me.
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  6. Pangs of the grave encompassed me; snares of death confronted me.
     

  7. In my distress I called upon the Lord, I cried out to my God; and from His Sanctuary He heard my voice, and my supplication before Him reached His ears.
     

  8. The earth trembled and quaked; the foundations of the mountains shook-they trembled when His wrath flared.
     

  9. Smoke rose in His nostrils, devouring fire blazed from His mouth, and burning coals flamed forth from Him.
     

  10. He inclined the heavens and descended, a thick cloud was beneath His feet.
     

  11. He rode on a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.
     

  12. He made darkness His concealment, His surroundings His shelter-of the dense clouds with their dark waters.
     

  13. Out of the brightness before Him, His clouds passed over, with hailstones and fiery coals.
     

  14. The Lord thundered in heaven, the Most High gave forth His voice-hailstones and fiery coals.
     

  15. He sent forth His arrows and scattered them; many lightnings, and confounded them.
     

  16. The channels of water became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed-at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
     

  17. He sent from heaven and took me; He brought me out of surging waters.
     

  18. He rescued me from my fierce enemy, and from my foes when they had become too strong for me.
     

  19. They confronted me on the day of my misfortune, but the Lord was my support.
     

  20. He brought me into spaciousness; He delivered me because He desires me.
     

  21. The Lord rewarded me in accordance with my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanliness of my hands.
     

  22. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not transgressed against my God;
     

  23. for all His laws are before me, I have not removed His statutes from me.
     

  24. I was perfect with Him, and have guarded myself from sin.
     

  25. The Lord repaid me in accordance with my righteousness, according to the cleanliness of my hands before His eyes.
     

  26. With the kindhearted You act kindly, with the upright man You act uprightly.
     

  27. With the pure You act purely, but with the crooked You act cunningly.
     

  28. For the destitute nation You save, but haughty eyes You humble.
     

  29. Indeed, You light my lamp; the Lord, my God, illuminates my darkness.
     

  30. For with You I run against a troop; with my God I scale a wall.
     

  31. The way of God is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
     

  32. For who is God except the Lord, and who is a rock except our God!
     

  33. The God Who girds me with strength, and makes my path perfect.
     

  34. He makes my feet like deers', and stands me firmly on my high places.
     

  35. He trains my hands for battle, my arms to bend a bow of bronze.
     

  36. You have given me the shield of Your deliverance, Your right hand upheld me; Your humility made me great.
     

  37. You have widened my steps beneath me, and my knees have not faltered.
     

  38. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until I destroyed them.
     

  39. I crushed them so that they were unable to rise; they are fallen beneath my feet.
     

  40. You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued my adversaries beneath me.
     

  41. You have made my enemies turn their backs to me, and my foes I cut down.
     

  42. They cried out, but there was none to deliver them; to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
     

  43. I ground them as the dust before the wind, I poured them out like the mud in the streets.
     

  44. You have rescued me from the quarrelsome ones of the people, You have made me the head of nations; a nation I did not know became subservient to me.
     

  45. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; strangers deny to me [their disloyalty].
     

  46. Strangers wither away, they are terrified in their strongholds.
     

  47. The Lord lives; blessed is my Rock; exalted is the God of my deliverance.
     

  48. You are the God Who executes retribution for me, and subjugates nations under me.
     

  49. Who rescues me from my enemies, Who exalts me above my adversaries, Who delivers me from the man of violence.
     

  50. Therefore I will laud You, Lord, among the nations, and sing to Your Name.
     

  51. He grants His king great salvations, and bestows kindness upon His anointed, to David and his descendants forever."

Tehillim

Shaina's Unity Torah

As this is a Hakhel - Unity year, we are initiating a unity campaign, that the greater community can join in together, in her memory. Shaina's illness brought together thousands in prayer, Torah and mitzvot. 

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The Torah is our most precious item, sustaining the Jewish people throughout history. It tells us that every Jew, regardless of background or knowledge, has an equal share in the Torah and G‑d.

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Our Rabbis teach that the communal writing of Torah through each persons individual participation brings unity, protection and healing to the Jewish people. Can there be a more opportune moment for this timely initiative? Please click the image below to contribute and help complete Shaina's Torah.

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Sefer Torah

Bikur Cholim

During Shaina's more than half a year of treatments in New York, her parents were by her side far from home in Arizona. Throughout that period, countless community members assisted her parents and siblings in the most selfless and amazing ways.

 

The Welner family will be forever grateful to the following bikur cholim organizations, who gave them the strength, love, and help they needed to navigate an incredibly difficult time.

Bikur Cholim

Schools

Welner was the eldest of 6 children of R’ Yaakov and Rochel Welner, a Lubavitcher couple who are active members of the growing Chabad community in Phoenix, Arizona.

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As Shaina grew older, her parents wanted to provide her with adequate and authentic Chassidishe Chinuch, so they founded Cheder Lubavitch Arizona.

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Under the Welner’s dedicated leadership, the Cheder quickly grew from a few single children to a thriving educational institution with a student body of 100. It has recently added the Beis Chana Lubavitch Girls High School in Phoenix.

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Shaina, like her parents, has been an integral part of the school. She was a vibrant and courageous girl who has touched the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing her.

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Schools
Community Organizations

Community

In the spirit of Hakhel - Unity, the following are Greater Phoenix Jewish community organizations we encourage you to support by giving tzedakah in Shaina's memory.

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