Rabbi Friedman notes that Sasha was one of the only students to ever find the school on his own. Typically the recruitment seminars target students who have been referred by local Jewish organizations. And yet Sasha had completely slipped under that radar and only came to the school because of the video.
When Rabbi Friedman told Yuri about Sasha, he was deeply touched and said he is looking forward to meeting him on his next trip to Israel.
“I am so honored that the video had a role in helping Sasha discover his heritage,” Yuri said. “It’s amazing how the one video could light such a spark in him.”
For Rabbi Friedman, the most inspiring message of Sasha’s journey is how unexpected it was.
“This video was produced by boys who had themselves been saved from a dismal future in the former Soviet Union, and it was able to help save another Jewish child and bring him to a better life in Israel,” Rabbi Friedman said, “We intended the video to give chizuk to Yuri Foreman, which it did, but it also gave tremendous chizuk to Sasha.”
For the students of Lezion B’rina, Yuri Foreman continues to motivate and uplift them. But for Sasha, he will never forget how Yuri threw him into the ring to help him discover how to live a fully Jewish life.
For more information on Lezion B’rina visit www.lezionbrina.com or call 718-576-1335.