MIRACLE SURVIVORS OF RECENT ATTACKS

Four women from Yitzhar who live out in the Shomron with daily mesirus nefesh, share some personal miracles they experienced recently.

THE REBBE SENT YOU A CHECK!

Please tell us about your connection with the Rebbe and Chabad.

Esther Rosen: I lost my mother when I was thirteen. In the building where we lived in Hertzliya lived a couple who were married for a number of years and did not have children. The woman adopted me as her daughter and devoted much time and motherly warmth to me. I would visit them often and she was like a mother to me, to the point that at my wedding people went over to her to thank her for her devotion to me.

That couple became involved with Chabad. Her husband would help out at the Chabad House in Hertzliya. His name was Yisroel, like that of the holy Baal Shem Tov; they were a very special couple. They were mekarev me to Chabad and convinced me to go to the Rebbe. I flew to New York and met a friend who today is a shlucha in Los Angeles. My father would bring me the Sichat HaShavua when they first started giving them out and I would read them and gain chizuk. I thought: What wisdom there is here! What a Rebbe – a tzaddik! And I was very drawn to it.

The trip to the Rebbe was greatly mekarev me. I wrote to the Rebbe a lot but did not always receive answers. They said I would see the answers unfold. For example, when we moved here, there were twenty-eight families, all Mizrachi. We were the only Lubavitchers. I missed having shiurim and a like-minded community. I wrote to the Rebbe saying I did not know what to do and that I had to have Chassidus here.

Within a short time some Lubavitcher families moved here: Bokchin, Sendroi, Cohen, and others. Eli Eitan began giving Tanya classes and they started making farbrengens. That was the Rebbe’s answer to me that I should stay here in Yitzhar.

The year I came back from Tishrei with the Rebbe, a friend asked me to help her with a Lag B’Omer parade. It was mesirus nefesh for me to go. During the parade I shouted the p’sukim with the children when someone suddenly came over to me and said, “Are you Esther Sitkovsky?” I said, yes, and she said, “The Rebbe sent you a check!” I said, what? She said, “Are you a student? Did you spend Tishrei with the Rebbe?”

When I said yes, she said the Rebbe wanted to help me with the expenses of my going to him. I was flabbergasted and went to the Chabad House in Hertzliya and saw a letter signed by the Rebbe. It was before I was getting married and the money arrived just when I needed it.

The Rebbe’s smile always reminds me to think positively. I am reminded of Ronit, a friend from the yishuv, who told me how when she was twelve the Rebbe made a motion to her with his hand and it keeps her going until today. The Rebbe also gives me kochos and positive thinking even in not such easy moments.

EVERY JEW IS A SHLIACH

Hila Shamua: When I was in high school I was very connected. I related to the gatherings of Chabad, to the yellow signs, “Hinei, hinei Moshiach Ba,” and I went to Chabad events.

My husband and I love Chabad. We are connected through R’ Yitzchok Ginsburgh. I greatly relate to the idea the Rebbe says that every Jew is a shliach.

All our views and customs come from Chabad and Breslov where they talk about hisbodedus and prayer, whereas the Rebbe takes things to the cosmic and global level, establishing Hashem’s kingship in the world, to redeem the Sh’china and bring us closer to Hashem.

A WARM SPOT FOR THE REBBE’S SHLUCHIM

Malka Wasserman: My father is the rav of Kfar Yona, R’ Uzi Souissa. He is on good terms with R’ Nechemia Schmerling, the shliach on the yishuv. We grew up with the Schmerlings. He and his wife Chani were our friends. We were the only two religious families in Kfar Yona and we did the religious outreach together, the day camps, Lag b’Omer… I have a warm spot in my heart for the shluchim and the Rebbe. Till today, we travel with our four children to Kfar Yona for Chanuka and other major holidays in order to take part in the special atmosphere of shlichus there. We lived in Shilo, then in Yerushalayim, and we are here in Yitzhar for five years now.

THE REBBE WROTE THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE

Rivka Schwartz: A few years ago, Mrs. Dafna Chiyoun of Rishon L’Tziyon came here to speak. Her life story touched me and gave me chizuk. I had been married a number of years and did not have children. She suggested that I write to the Rebbe. She took my phone number and she later called and said that the Rebbe responded that everything will be fine, I just had to be happy and not anxious. She gave me a lot of chizuk.

The truth is that I was connected to Chabad way before that. It was when my family became religious through Chabad in Petersburg. My father ran a traditional club there for children and young people. We did not know a lot but we became much stronger through our relationship with the Chabad shluchim there. In 5759 we made aliya. My brother lives in Itamar, I live in Yitzhar, and my parents live in Yerushalayim.

At the last shiur on family purity that I attended they spoke about the status of a Jew which is above Torah, which is why we can desecrate the Shabbos to save a life. I was reminded of this when my labor began on Shabbos two weeks ago. This idea encouraged me as I had to travel by ambulance on Shabbos. On the way I saw a picture of the Rebbe and felt that the Rebbe was accompanying me to the birth.

A BULLET WITH A MIRACULOUS ROUTE

Please tell us of the miracle that happened to you recently.

Hila: On 25 Elul, the day that marks the beginning of Creation, I was created anew! That morning, I picked up my friend Netta, who lives in Alon Moreh. We both work as midwives at a hospital in B’nei Brak. On the way, we came to Huwara. In the area of the old mosque stood a group of Arabs, about a meter and a half away from us, and something was thrown at us.

Our car is armored against rocks so at first I wasn’t scared, but Netta was scared and began screaming that her back hurts. I realized they had shot at us and thought she was badly hurt, so I started driving like a madwoman. I don’t remember precisely how I managed (afterward, on cameras that are installed in Huwara I saw how I swerved around the cars, trucks …) but I finally reached the Tapuach junction where we saw the big miracle. We saw the holes in the car and realized what route the bullet had taken. It had entered from the rear door, took a turn toward Netta who sat next to me, and stopped in the seat so that Netta only received a dry blow. She had a black and blue mark on her lower back, a few millimeters from her spine but, thank G-d, the bullet did not penetrate her back.

THANKS TO CHITAS

Esther: On 4 Elul I went to an evening of chizuk for women in Yerushalayim. During the trip I held a Chitas, from which I learn every day. A military vehicle which had been parked on the side of the road did not see us and went into us. Our car was completely wrecked and we, my husband, my daughter and I, and a hitchhiker got out with hardly a scratch. Those who saw the car afterward found it hard to believe that we got out alive. What a miracle!

WOW, I’M ALIVE!

Malka: I am pregnant and my husband and I went for a checkup in Ariel. On the way back, I got off at the Tapuach junction in order to get to Alon Moreh to give a shiur. A car came along and the driver asked who wants to go to Yitzhar. I knew the people in the car and went over with the other potential hitchhikers to hear where they were going when suddenly, another car, driven by a terrorist, drove into us for the purpose of running us over.

We stood between the car that had stopped and the concrete barrier, and the terrorist’s car simply knocked over everyone standing there. We were six people at the bus stop and four were down on the ground, another two were further away and were not hurt. Nobody in the car was hurt but I was slightly injured. The shooting started, I did not know who was shooting, I just remembered that the terrorist’s car was stuck against the concrete barrier and the terrorist already had his feet out of the car.

I got up with difficulty and limped behind the barrier. There was still shooting. I looked up fearfully and saw that the ones shooting were our soldiers, boruch Hashem.

After the terrorist was killed, I heard voices asking for help. Ambulances came immediately from yishuvim in the area and soldiers came too. I did not know whether I was injured or not. In my head I kept replaying the moments of falling on my back, my running behind the barrier and the joy that the shooting was coming from us. Wow, I’m alive! I went to look for my phone which had disappeared when I fell. I wanted to call my husband and tell him that I was in a terrorist attack and was fine.

I saw the injuries of the rest of the men and asked, “What’s happening here?”

It was a terrible sight. I saw two of the young men with their legs smashed, one of them had a break in his leg and the other one’s foot was crushed. I got out “lightly.” I still have the bruises, my hand isn’t responding and my balance is off, but I saw Hashem’s kindness and His divine providence. Every time I think about what happened, I am amazed by the magnitude of the miracle. I saw that even for those who were knocked to the ground, it was not coincidental. Each person was directed to precisely where to stand and what injuries he would sustain, may Hashem have mercy. The big miracle was that the soldiers arrived at the moment the terrorist attacked and they were able to shoot at him immediately.

Another miracle was that they found a tourniquet for the guy so his foot was saved. The third one lost consciousness and his miracle was that he fell on me so that his injury was less severe. At the hospital I met his mother who thanked me for being there. I said to her, “I have to thank you because if not for him, the car would have gone another two meters and I was there…”

We were hospitalized on Sunday at Beilinson and by Monday I was allowed to leave. I told my husband that I wanted to visit the other injured people who were in different departments – surgical, plastic surgery, and intensive care. The first one I saw, with the crushed foot, they had been able to save his foot; the tourniquet made a big difference.

The second one, when we went in to see him, he did not remember anything about the attack, for he had lost consciousness. We reviewed what happened before the attack, what he talked about on his cell phone. His mother was moved and she took a picture of my husband and him together, and me and her together.

The third one’s legs had been saved. It took him a few days to regain consciousness. He is still hospitalized but, with Hashem’s help, after rehab, he will be able to walk again.

As for me, my pregnancy is fine, my right hand was cold and didn’t move, but from day to day there is improvement. Warmth and sensation are slowly returning. I still can’t use my right hand; I use my left instead. I’m excited about my hand that is healing; it’s amazing to get my hand back as a gift. Nothing is taken for granted.

A TRAIL OF FIRE IN THE DIRECTION OF MY DAUGHTER

Rivka: A month ago, when I was in my ninth month, we returned from a visit and t’fillos at Rochel Imeinu, and Shabbos at my parents in Yerushalayim. We traveled on Sunday past Huwara in the evening. On the way I had a feeling and I remembered a story that my friend from the yishuv told at an evening of chizuk for ladies that we had recently. It was about a woman from Yerushalayim who was walking down the street alone and suddenly sensed someone following her. She began to say, “on my right is Michoel, on my left Gavriel … and above me is the Sh’china of Keil.” She didn’t stop saying this verse and the Arab kept following her until she arrived at a blockade manned by soldiers. They then took the Arab in for questioning. “Why didn’t you attack her?” He said he wanted to but couldn’t since two hulking figures walked alongside her the entire time.

This story really got to me and I also started saying this verse when suddenly, at one of the turns, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at us. I saw a trail of fire flying in the direction of my baby daughter who was sitting in the back. The Molotov cocktail hit the car a few centimeters from the gas tank and shattered on the road. Behind us was another Jewish car which also miraculously got out of the area.

I BECAME CLOSER TO G-D

How are you emotionally after an attack like that?

Malka: Other attacks that take place don’t cause flashbacks for me, but leave me with the feeling and understanding that we are still in exile. The Sh’china is in galus and like my grandfather suffered, so too, the Jewish people are suffering now. However, when one of my children falls, I can be shaken up, and the screech of a car can bring me back to the Tapuach Junction.

What gives me chizuk and what puts me in a good mental space is knowing that we are part of the Jewish people who suffer. It is not my personal event. The belief that there is a reason for this suffering really helps. As the days pass I have become closer to G-d than before.

SEEING THAT HASHEM IS WATCHING

Rivka: Thinking about what could have been… I experienced some terrors, but we see how Hashem watches and protects and we are strengthened by our t’fillos.

I GOT MY LIFE AS A GIFT

Hila: I saw in a tangible way the kindnesses of Hashem. We felt we had received out lives as a gift. Netta told me that the whole way from Alon Moreh, the tune from the piyut of R’ Amnon went through her head, “Who by water, who by fire…” She wondered why she was thinking about things like that. I felt that Hashem chose me to live. On Rosh HaShana there is a question about our continued existence. The feeling that you had a bullet coming your way, it either hits or not, there is no in between, no room for flexibility. It cuts between the worlds, it puts you either here or there, it is so precise. The bullet could stop or get stuck anywhere, in the back, in me, or anywhere. Every morning we say the bracha, “ … who chose us …” Hashem chooses our existence here, it intensifies the feeling of shlichus.

It is a very uplifting feeling of purpose, although it also inspires fear – suddenly the World to Come is so close… There are traumatic ramifications to a certain extent. The yetzer hara comes and says, “Maybe you sinned, maybe you are not good enough and Hashem doesn’t want you…” But despite this, it does give a good feeling. It gives you a truer perspective for this world, the fact that people live their lives as if it is an obvious reality, you see that it’s not to be taken for granted. Everyone is asleep and Hashem let me wake up for a moment. He let me know who gives me life, he let me know that the entire world hangs on nothingness, and he let me know that every second of life is from this ko’ach that Hashem chose you at this moment. This experience gives me the feeling that we aren’t here for no reason.

An attack like that could have happened to anyone and the fact that Hashem chose me gives me a sense of communal mission – a sort of communal sacrifice. That all the suffering and fear I went through I need to transform into something public to sanctify Hashem’s name, so that all the Jewish people know that we are all here for a purpose and mission. There is nobody here for no reason. I am happy to convey this understanding further, and even though I bless everyone with readily apparent good, we still have to recognize that the word nisayon/test is from the same root as the word neis/banner and is meant to raise us up high above our everyday slumber.

I also tell myself that if I had prayed, maybe it wouldn’t have happened. I could have done something to prevent it. When something happens, you are automatically connected to Hashem, so why do you need something like this to happen to get you back to Him? You cannot be disconnected from Hashem in this world. T’filla is also from the root meaning judgment. Why did this happen? At that time, I felt I had not done enough with the avoda of Elul and I was swiftly sent back to the source, to the root. A person cannot forget his origin, from where he came to this world.

“Goodness that is apparent and revealed” means life with the reality of G-dliness and absolute clarity. Sometimes we don’t bother because if we’re comfortable, why exert myself to serve Hashem? Obviously, this is a mistake. What is Geula? Geula means knowing that everything about me, everything I go through, it is all from Hashem. That is on the personal level. On the macro level, it is Moshiach who connects the Jewish people to Hashem and the knowledge of our purpose in this world.