A symbolic circumcision (hatafas dam bris) was held last week for Jewish children who were recently rescued from hostile Arab villages by Yad L’Achim.

Before the moving ceremony, the children were brought to the office of the Rishon Lezion, Hagaon Harav Yitzchak Yosef, who was amazed by the scope and depth of their knowledge in chumash Breishis. He delivered words of inspiration to the children and their mothers, encouraging them to continue as links in the chain of Jewish generations.

“You should be proud that you have merited to belong to the Jewish people, and that you are about to fulfill the mitzvah of hatafat dam habrit. Have no fear, and continue to be strong in Torah and yirat Shamayim.”

After hearing the facts and figures on Yad L’Achim’s widespread rescue efforts, in particular its mentoring program which provides each child rescued from an Arab village with a religious mentor, the Rav said, “Yad L’Achim is all about creating many souls [borei nefashot rabot]. You are making many souls for Judaism.”

He also blessed the chairman of Yad L’Achim, Harav Yisrael Lifschitz, that he merit continued success in his efforts, in the best of the magnificent traditions of the organization founded by his father, Hagaon Harav Shalom Dov Lifschitz, zt”l.

As the visit wound down, the mothers asked for a blessing from the Rav, that their sons grow to become kosher Jews and yarei Shamayim. The Rav delivered sweets to each child, together with a blessing.

From there, the mothers and their children proceeded to the hatafas dam bris, which is required by Halachah even for those who received a “Muslim circumcision.” It was performed by the mohel Harav Shimon Dror, in an event organized by Harav Moshe Cohen, a prominent member of Yad L’Achim.

Afterwards, each child received a personal gift from a Yad L’Achim activist, followed by festive singing and dancing and a seudas mitzvah.

The mothers and children then proceeded to Kever Rachel, where they davened that they merit a good and happy life among the Jewish people. A particularly moving moment came when they offered a heartfelt plea for all the other mothers and children that are still in captivity, that they merit to be delivered from their distress.

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