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

R' Yehoshua Zweig: We Went on a Family Vacation. We Came Home Without Our Children.

September 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

R' Yehoshua Zweig and his wife Hadas took their five children on a family vacation to Lake Michigan this past summer. It was a good day. His daughter Hannah Malka, 21, made waffles for her brother Yosef, 19, who had severe autism and could not speak. She gave him a "spa day," cutting his nails and cleaning his skin. They went to the beach. Hannah did not like swimming in lakes, but Yosef loved the water. She sat on the shore, then waded in with him. At some point, they drifted out of view. When R' Yehoshua noticed a boat heading toward them, it was the EMS boat. Both had drowned. They were resuscitated but had gone too long without a pulse. Yosef died that night. Hannah, a strong swimmer who had done weight training, had fought longer trying to save her brother. She died the next afternoon. "I felt like a big part of me was dead," R' Yehoshua says. "I loved them so much." This conversation—recorded about 30 days after the tragedy—is not about a man who has processed his grief. It is about a man who refuses to let grief define him, because his children taught him something more important.

What the world misunderstands about people like Yosef

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What you'll learn

  • 1 Timestamped Outline
  • 2 (00:52) **Opening: The Unthinkable Loss** - Rabbi Zweig introduces the tragedy that struck his family on Lake Michigan
  • 3 (01:25) **Background: Building a Family Around Special Needs** - Rabbi Zweig explains how his family came to settle in South Bend, Indiana
  • 4 (02:52) **The Day of the Tragedy** - A detailed account of the last normal morning with both children
  • 5 (03:40) **The Accident Unfolds** - What Rabbi Zweig witnessed and what he later learned
  • 6 (07:14) **The Night in the Hospital** - Going back and forth between two dying children
  • 7 (09:36) **"I Felt Like a Big Part of Me Was Dead"** - The immediate aftermath and emotional devastation

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

This summer, Rabbi Yehoshua & Hadassa Zweig faced an unimaginable tragedy. After a terrible accident on Lake Michigan, their daughter Chana Malka and son Yosef both fought for their lives, but tragically, neither survived. R’ Yehoshua shares their story and somehow finds the strength to speak about grief, faith, who his children were, and the lessons they left behind.✬ SPONSORS ✬► Colel Chabad: Start Your Tzedakah StreakThe Colel Chabad Pushka App makes giving tzedakah every day incredibly simple. Give in seconds, build your streak, and help provide food, shelter, and basic necessities to some of the neediest people in Israel.DOWNLOAD THE APP & HELP HERE→ https://pushkapp.cc/inspo► Bitbean: Software Built for GrowthFrom platforms processing billions of dollars to systems serving TorahAnytime, Chabad on Campus, Eastern Union, and major businesses, Bitbean builds custom software designed to solve real problems and help businesses scale.CALL HERE→ 732-806-1125LEARN MORE→ https://bitbean.com► Wheels To Lease: #1 Leasing CompanyFrom family cars and luxury SUVs to commercial vehicles, Wheels To Lease has been helping people find the right car since 1989. Tell them what you need and they’ll handle the rest.→ CALL/TEXT: 718-871-8715→ EMAIL: [email protected]→ WEB: https://bit.ly/41lnzYU→ WHATSAPP: https://wa.link/0w46ce► Primal Krisp: Glatt Kosher Meat ChipsNot jerky. Thin, crispy, crunchy meat chips packed with protein and made with simple ingredients. No sugar, preservatives, seed oils, or unnecessary fillers.Use code INSPIRE for 15% OFF your first order.SHOP HERE→ https://bit.ly/4bQB60J► Feldheim: Hot New ReleasesRebbetzin Vichna Kaplan — Young Reader’s EditionIntroduce young readers to the extraordinary woman who transformed Jewish education in America.ORDER HERE→ https://bit.ly/4x5Gm8oDaily Dose — TorahAnytimeYour favorite TorahAnytime speakers in short, accessible bursts of daily inspiration.ORDER HERE→ https://bit.ly/4xDGwF5The Making of a MinhagDiscover the fascinating origins of the minhagim we practice today.ORDER HERE→ https://bit.ly/4zWMBxOJoin the Lchaim Book Club→ https://bit.ly/3YsHoMp► Nechdal: Clear Your Debt Before Yom KippurYou wouldn’t steal a car. So why hold onto money that isn’t yours? A car you scratched, a customer you never refunded... your chiyuv stands even if you can’t find the owner.Clear your debt before Yom Kippur.LEARN MORE→ https://tinyurl.com/Nechdal5787✬ IN MEMORY OF ✬This episode is in memory of:• Shimon Dovid ben Yaakov Shloima• Miriam Sarah bas Yaakov Moshe• חנה מלכה בת יהושע ליב• יוסף יהודה בן יהושע ליב#IFTNLchaim.

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