Doron Almog, founder of a Negev rehabilitation center, writes about a recent memorable moment as follows: “On October 7th, Michael Gottesman, a member of the emergency security team in the town of Shlomit close to the Gaza Strip, hurriedly rode to the adjacent community of Pri Gan in order to engage terrorist forces that had infiltrated there. After several hours of arduous fighting, Michael was wounded in his hand and evacuated under enemy fire.
“After his hospitalization, he was sent to the day clinic at the ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran rehabilitation village. Due to his injury, Michael experienced significant loss of function in his hand and has had to relearn how to do simple tasks such as holding his cell phone and picking up his children.
“Last week, in the middle of being treated by Oriah in the occupational therapy clinic, he finally succeeded to see positive results. For the first time since he was wounded, Michael was able to raise a glass all by himself and, before drinking from it, say the blessing of “sheahkol niheyeh bidvaro” (that everything came into being through his word; it’s the blessing declared before drinking water, coffee, or any other beverage except wine). It was the same injured hand with which he had neutralized Hamas terrorists.”
May you and all the wounded have a speedy and complete recovery, Michael. We can only imagine how many wonderful heroic acts like this are taking place each day in rehabilitation clinics throughout Israel.
To See the Light in the Midst of the Darkness
I spent last Shabbat with 150 Chabad shluchos from university campuses throughout the world. This year, they decided to hold their annual conference in Israel. Needless to say, it has been a very challenging year for them.
I heard about the antisemitism they are facing and their struggle against all the lies, but mainly heard about their proud Jewish and pro-Israel response to the belligerent atmosphere on their campuses.
The words of one shlucha from a particularly hostile college campus in the U.S. have stayed with me:
“Not long ago, an ‘Israeli Apartheid Week’ was advertised on campus. My husband said to me: ‘Great! Now I’ll need to get more mezuzot and tefillin for the students. I’m also sure that many students whom we’ve never seen before will join us this Shabbat meal.’ We have seen with our own eyes, how the darkness increases the light.”
In the picture: Shluchos from campuses around the world in front of the Kotel. They are here to rejuvenate themselves before the coming academic year. Welcome home!
Translations by Yehoshua Siskin and Janine Muller Sherr.
