Right-wing activist Guy Levy visited Bnei Brak on Yom HaZikaron with his soldier son and was moved by the reception he received in the city.
“So following the demonization of our Chareidi brothers in the last few days [referring to calls by some people that Chaeidi MKs would not be welcome at Yom HaZikaron ceremonies], I took my oldest son to the ceremony in Bnei Brak,” Levy wrote on Twitter. “The ceremony was moving but the real amazing and personal experience happened a few minutes later.”
“At the end of the ceremony, my son [dressed in uniform] and I went to a local restaurant named Muchan U’Muzman on Rechov Chazon Ish. I won’t lie – on the way, I asked myself: ‘Will I meet someone from a slightly different sector who will comment on my son?'”
“But the reality was exactly the opposite and it was simply amazing! We entered the restaurant and the staff greeted us as if they were waiting for us all week. This included a salute from one of the workers, smiles, brachos, and a wonderful feeling of respect.”
“When we bought the food, the owners of the restaurant refused to let me pay for my son’s meal. When we sat down at a table with four Chareidim, one of them got up and then came back three minutes later with a disappointed look on his face. It turned out that he also wanted to surprise us and pay for the soldier’s food but he discovered that ‘they already took away the zechus and mitzvah.'”
“My son hasn’t been received anywhere in the country with such respect and appreciation – only because he wearing an army uniform- and no one cared that he wasn’t even wearing a kipah.”
“After long days of despair and fears of division and exclusion, I saw that after all the disputes, we can be one people. I left Bnei Brak with a lot of hope.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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13 Responses
Ahavat Chinam, love it!
Finally, I’m nice and decent article from YWN : ) lol
Definitely the nicest people I have ever met…great food as well, highly recommend that restaurant
I love this story. Too bad it’ll only be those in this echo chamber who will read it
We are one people. Thank you.
Waouh! What a beautiful and moving story! Thanks for sharing this with us. That shows that we should’t allow some pre conceived ideas to keep us locked in a narrow state of mind.
Respect every human being. It takes u far BUT theres NO zchus in serving in the army. Quite the contrary but he sounds like a good kid, and definitely a tinik shennishba and everyone shld respect him.
It was so emotional to hear the experience the MK had. This is what Hashem longs to see from his children.
A lesson to be learned that only with Ahavas Yisroel can we exist in harmony.
Uymi keomcha yisroel
BUT theres NO zchus in serving in the army
כל המקיים נפש אחת מישראל כאילו קיום עולם מלא
Beautiful story! Thank you YWN for sharing. Miriam – When the article mentioned zechus, the father was just saying that one of the Yidden eating in the restaurant was disappointed that the zechus of serving another Yid, bringing shalom, and making a kidush Hashem was taken from him/her. So why are you talking about a totally unrelated topic. Once you bring it up, I will say that one must realize that regardless of hashkafa, we all must be very much makir tov to those that are putting there lives on the line everyday to protect other Yidden. Of course, it’s Hashem that protects us. Of course, Torah, Tefillah chesed, etc. is what creates a protective wall around us and helps those in uniform be successful, but we can’t forget about those that put themselves in the line of fire. We must be makir tov! The most important item we need is true Ahavas Yisroel. We are unfortunately still in golus because of sia’as chinum.
Miriam
Please, rethink your comment. Unnecessary roughness, especially during the Yemai HaSefirah is uncalled for.
Miriam, you really believe that’s the comment Hashem wants to hear one child make about another? A little genuine yiddishe hashkofa please.