The daughter of Yitzchok Rosenberg , who was tragically drowned yesterday while on the beach in Miami, wrote the following :
I was informed of my father’s death from a WhatsApp group.
I woke up in the morning and asked Siri what’s the weather today. She replies, today will be partly cloudy with a high of 60 degrees. My day starts off just like every other day and nothing seems unusual.
At work I usually keep my phone on silent so I can get things done. At approximately 11:30 am I see the other people in the office gathering around and talking quietly. Nothing unusual. At 11:45 am I give a slight glance at my phone and I see that I have 68 unread messages from 9 different WhatsApp groups. That was my first sign that something unusual is happening today.
I put my thumb at the key lock and go directly to WhatsApp. At that very second my heart skipped a beat. My fingers froze. My eyes were rolling. I saw stars. All messages read ‘BDE at least three people dead in an apparent boat accident in Florida’. Every group that I am a member of had at least 10-15 messages with pictures and voice notes of how many people died, how and where with full details.
Me as a family member however, did not know of a thing that had happened. And all of a sudden, from reading a WhatsApp message, I was left without a father! A point blank Yusim!
I try calling my mother and of course no answer. I race out of the office and call my brother. And yes there is an answer. The answer I never hoped or dreamed of ever hearing!
With a foggy mind and my blood ice cold I rushed home, and funeral arrangements were underway.
But, I do want to take a few minutes to discuss the recklessness from WhatsApp groups. I feel that now might be the time that people might reconsider broadcasting and distributing news on WhatsApp.
The first messages started circling WhatsApp at approximately 11:00 o’clock am. The messages read ‘There was a fatal boat accident in Miami and three people are dead, Rosenberg, Parnes and Englander.’
Without hesitation someone decided to write a message killing 3 people right then and there. And thousands of shares were followed within seconds.
At 11:00 o’clock am, not one of them were confirmed dead! So instead of sharing messages to Daven or say Tehilim for the critically injured. Someone decided he will get more shares on social media or will be looked at as a hero on WhastApp because he was first with the news. So wrong on so many levels!
At the very first second I read the WhatsApp messages I was hoping that those three have been killed just like the two Bucherim were killed in Kerestier last week. But thankfully those reports turned out to be false!
Sadly the Miami story is true.
In the mean time someone decided to share a picture on WhatsApp of a stranded boat claiming that this is the boat the three were sailing in. And they had some kind of accident. Number one that boat was from a different and old story and number two they weren’t on a boat at all.
Right now, I have no voice. No mind. I am typing this message with tears.
This was without a doubt the hardest and worst day of my life. And the WhatsApp messages made it a lot worse and harder!
All I’m trying to say here is, when a tragedy strikes, don’t try to be a hero with sharing the news as fast as you can. Be a hero with knowing as much accurate details as you can. And NEVER assume or make something up. Because there’s always a family or families at stake.
I will never forget the first WhatsApp messages I read when I opened my phone. Make sure to never be the person who writes that message.
From this point on in life I will never be caught by surprise again. Nothing can surprise me anymore.
(B.Z.)
same happens with governments and plane accidents and terror attacks e.g. belgium there are constant and inaccurate reports as nobody knows the truth. As yidden we should know not to publicise every rumor and report re accidents just because you saw it somewhere. Often the family themselves have not yet been told. It may be there are children who have not been told who find out from their friends. Use your seichel. Not everything has to be reported. I also agree with the tehillim point it drives me nuts how people always post about accidents etc. without names for tehillim… Read more »
If the author of this post is who it is attributed to, she’s obviously in pain and mourning, so she can get some slack for shooting her pain at more people. But for everyone else, it’s important to try and control yourself and not lash out, when you’re in extreme pain, as hard as that may be. And for those who need to be the first to broadcast news, try being the first to broadcast good news, and the last for bad news. And for any news always know with 100% certainty that that which you are passing on is… Read more »
This is so heartbreaking. To this woman: המקום ינחם אתכם מתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים What a terrible way to find out! What a shock. It is not the Jewish way. In general, I was also raised that you don’t share bad news if you can avoid doing so. May Klal Yisroel be blessed with only bessuros tovos, yeshuos v’nechomos – with the ultimate Mvasser Tov, Eliyahu Hanovi tells us the news of Geulah. In the meantime, lets learn to shut our mouths, just a bit. The consequences of our actions can be quite damaging, as this article so plaintively… Read more »
The author of the article is simply saying instead of saying people are dead before you kniw for sure, spread the message to daven or then.
That is all.
This article speaks for itself. BDH
B”DE Nothing anyone can say can help. I’m so sorry for your loss. It is so frighting to loose a parent especially so suddenly. You must be so frightened and scared and wondering what could have gone different to create a different outcome. I can’t imagine how much pain you feel and how your suffering. Just know you have a whole cummunity here for you. Ask people that come to write in a journal memories of your father it will help you see how special he is. Just take this time to mourn on a loss that earlier today you… Read more »
Sorry #_9 I didn’t mean it that way the bottom line we should have only good news to report.
Ad Mosai.
We need Moshiach now!!
Shut up! Just say bde, sorry for your loss, may we gather for Simchas! This is not the place for debates and stating your בויך סברה on whatsapp.
21 confused put it this way you’re parent died do you want to find out from what’s app get a life you know perfectly fine what is being talked about over here
I’m sorry but this is not the failure of what’s app groups. Her family should have called her immediately. If they could not reach her then they should have called the work office. The family could have made sure someone in the office was sitting with her while they told her the news over the phone. That would have been more important than immediately starting funeral arrangement as the daughter says. We are so sorry for your loss and we realize that finding blame now is a way to take your mind off of this terrible tragedy. We hope Hashem… Read more »
If there was no what’s app? I’m sure there would be another app that everyone would use.
BD”H. CRAZY STORY.
I did not understand this article. How did “Whatsapp” kill the writer’s father? Why is the writer complaining about sharing bad news? Should bad news be kept a secret? I’m confused.
Im very sorry that you have suffered, this is terrible to hear awful news like this without your family being involved. i hate the internet, i hate all of it, like a sewer it is.
Gd bless you all of your family.
chana simcha
bde
we need to live with the time! Emor : only good things about the other in order to reveal their inner good!
tichias hametim now!!!
Don’t blame WhatsApp. Blame the people who sent the messages to your phone. It is such a tragedy. Hashem should bring Moshiach NOW!
I think it is written somewhere that we should be quick to spread good news and slow to share bad news. There is no gain whatsoever to share bad news. Even the big news hold off on stating the name of victims until the next of kin are notified. Shame… solution: shut your virtual mouths
Thank you for this lesson for these days of Sefirah of how we should work on increasing our ahavas Yisroel – maybe there could be more suggestions of how we should increase our ahavas Yisroel with social media. It is very painful what you are going through with the death of your father and even more painful how you found out. May Hashem comfort you with all the mourners of Tzion and Yerushalayim with the coming of Moshiach now.
how about no what’s app groups ? I have what’s app but don’t do groups so it’s all one to one and personal. I’m sure none of her contacts would be so tactless .
sorry for ur loss.
Let’s be sensitive put yourself in her shoes think how you would want to be treated in such a situation think before you post and yes it’s time to get rid of the shmutz app its taking over our lives like any addiction
there needs to be some basic etiquette for whatsapp- communities should NOT post news on whatsapp only- it is not the proper environment for certain things..it’s gotten out of hand
BDE. But misleading headlines a
I have no words for the loss of ur father!!
So sorry u were informed like this!
Moshiach now!
It’s not whatsapp that is to blame. It’s people. Gossiping people. You think this didn’t happen 100 years ago… Someone would hear a rumor and go running around the shtetl spreading it, and before you know it, the story has changed 5 times over….
People, stop gossiping, whether in person, social media, anything.
If you’re going to preach about being sensitive then don’t use the name Yenta in a condescending way. Many people have that beautiful name!
While, I totally understand and feel very sad about the event.
This is an over simplification of today’s reality.
What’s app is not the problem here, the source of the problems are the news outlets and first hand witnesses…
If something makes it on any news website than it’s official as far as readers are concerned, and at this point it’s useless to blame what’s app…
Though no one wants to be in same situation and it should not happen again, what we are putting in question is, should news like those be posted on websites….
To number two you are sooo right…if people can become more sensitive and self aware instead of focusing on being the number one news reporter… Aka yenta that would help.May we,all report that Moshiach is finally here….
My condolences for your loss.
Although many news agencies can go so low as to relish in peoples sorrow, I believe that most of them have the basic morals to not release the names of victims until the families have been notified. I think the public should have the same basic decency.
It is so unfortunate this lady found out through What’s App groups! It is more unfortunate that her family did not call her immediately and tell her before it went out on What’s App! Yes, definitely agreed, we must all be more sensitive!
May these families never know of any more tzar!
המקום ינחם אתכם מתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
While I fully agree with the point brought out I fail to see the accuracy in the headline
MOSHIACH NOW need I say more?
It’s a tragedy no one should suffer, and it’s horrible thats how the person found out, but it’s not whats app. It’s not the thing, it’s the people using the thing. As Chassidim of the Rebbe we know the rule, anything can be used for good or bad, but we choose to use it for good. The problem is real, but it’s the people that are the problem, the culture frum community has fostered by being so news obsessed and over share of information. It doesn’t matter if its what app, SMS, email, or calling someone on the phone, or… Read more »
המקום ינחם אתכם מתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים