Inspiration for the Nation with Yaakov Langer
Inspiration for the Nation with Yaakov Langer

BONUS EPISODE: Yudi & Chumi Herzberg: After Losing Our Daughter, We Chose Forgiveness

July 22, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Choosing Forgiveness After Losing a Child

On June 2nd, eight-year-old Charlotte Herzberg—a girl who "danced her way through life," who poured Gatorade on the floor at age two just to dance in it, who left a note on her mother's pillow the night before saying "you're the best mommy I could ask for"—was struck by a car while riding her bike in front of her own house in Monsey, New York. The driver was her father's closest learning partner and dearest friend, a Hatzolah volunteer who had just taken a longer route home for no particular reason. What happened next, and how both families chose to respond, became the subject of this deeply personal conversation.

The Accident and Immediate Response

Yudi Herzberg was driving home from work on what he remembers as "the most regular of days." His wife Chumi had given birth two months earlier, they had just moved into a new house, and for the first time in weeks his schedule felt normal. When his wife called screaming that Charlotte had been hit, he raced home to find his daughter in the street with emergency workers performing compressions. His chavrusa—the driver—was there too, and when he looked at Yudi, he "collapsed into the ground."

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **Episode Introduction & Guest Background** - Host Yaakov Langer introduces the bonus episode and Yudi Herzberg, who shares his upbringing and path to Monsey.
  • 2 (05:03) **Introducing Charlotte** - Yudi shares the meaning behind Charlotte's unique name and tells stories that capture her vibrant, adventurous personality.
  • 3 (10:00) **The Day of the Accident** - Yudi narrates the mundane, regular day that turned into tragedy when his daughter was hit by a car in front of their house.
  • 4 (14:33) **A Plea to Hashem and the Drive Home** - In the car to the hospital, Yudi bargains with God, and on the way home, he makes the crucial decision to forgive the driver.
  • 5 (22:18) **The Framework: Why Forgiveness Was Possible** - Yudi explains the unique factors that allowed him and his wife to forgive the driver without hesitation.
  • 6 (29:18) **The "Where, What, Why, When, and Who" of Divine Providence** - Yudi analyzes the accident through the lens of hashgacha pratis (divine providence), finding a profound personal lesson in the location.
  • 7 (35:53) **The Ripple Effect of Forgiveness** - Yudi describes the powerful, positive responses he received from people he apologized to, leading to a broader initiative.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

This is bonus material for our Tisha Bav film: Letting Go.

Watch/listen to this AFTER you already watched the film.

Watch the full film here: LivingLchaim.com/tishabav


Take The Pledge for Charlotte → https://bit.ly/SFC-LL-YTube

Donate to Living Lchaim → https://bit.ly/donate-LGfilm

See More Tisha Bav Content → https://bit.ly/3RrLvIX---


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