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See someone make a real Kiddush Hashem? This is a thread to share stories.
Just to start off:
I was at a dinner recently where one of the honorees has an elderly mother (ad meiah v’esrim) When women started to dance, someone brought her to the circle and several girls started dancing with her (she was sitting) and then danced in front of her. She mentioned after how much she enjoyed it.
I saw an ad recently for something called the Mitzvah man. Seems like someone advertises to do chassadim, give people rides, pick up packages and deliver them…
Mi K’amcha Yisrael
Lets make sure this thread fills up fast!
I read this really inspiring story about this lady and her husband and child moving into a new apartment in Israel. While settling in, something happened to her hot water pot, and so she went to a neighbor to ask for some hot water. Not only did she give her that, but she also gave her some food to take with her to her apartment.
We don’t know the impact we make on others. For example, a simple good morning or a smile can brighten a day
There are literally dozens of kiddush H-shem stories on this thread:
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/why-yidden-are-the-best
(and quite a bit of arguing and debating too, but you can skip those posts)
They make a good point that we need to careful and think first before doing something. Very true, especially when we are in a rush and our mind is on one thing, it’s sometimes hard to focus on our surroundings. They make a good point that we have so much potential to be who we should 🙂
Here’s a Kiddush Hashem that happened to my father; He was carrying some groceries to his car and someone from a local shul walked by and offered to helped him. Now my father knows him as a warm generous man Baruch Hashem
I’m also inspired by how my girlfriends invite new friends for Shabbos
some people think a kiddush hashem is what u do in front of goyim but in front of yiden they don’t care so much in thier action’s. story with me 1.some1 offering me a ride from shul to my house even wait’s for me when i ever i take extra time davening some time’s from the local shop
2. letting me in front of them in a shop in the line
i can go on for hour’s telling story’s boruch hashem
We had a family member in the hospital recently. The chesed and ahavas yisroel was tangible.
So many organizations which are staffed with people that give up their life for chesed. These people help out ANYTIME at no cost.
I have no words to describe it!!
Mi keamcha yisroel!!
hatzoloh is a massive kiddush hashem so is chavariem shomirim all these kind of origination’s are massive kiddush hashem
A Kiddush Hashem amongst Yidden is immensely bigger than in front of goyim. Indeed, a Kiddush Hashem amongst Yidden is the real Kiddush Hashem.
True, in front of Non-Jews, it’s just about sanctifying G-d’s Name, where as in front of Jews, it’s about doing both, sanctifying His Name and achdus among us
Still, when you do something that makes a good impression like helping someone out or being friendly to newcomers and so on, they think positively. Whereas if someone does something negative, people think negatively,
I takeh think that by yidden helping other yidden, gantze klal yisroel will be zoiche to moshiach bimihaira biyamainu!! What a gevaldige thread!!
Anymore stories — it’s great inspiration to improve our middos thereby reaching our potential
After a few years at a firm Reuven* felt he wanted to explore different opportunities. He went to let the boss know that he planned to leave the firm in two weeks (with the option of staying a little longer if necessary).
The boss wasn’t happy but he had one strange request- being that Reuven was a well respected employee he asked that Reuven not tell anyone that he was leaving.
The next Friday Reuven left work like he did every other Friday, just wishing everyone a good weekend (the boss offered to ship his personal belongings on Monday).
Once in the elevator Reuven spotted the receptionist and since he already “left” he felt he was allowed to tell her the news.
Upon hearing that he was leaving she burst into tears.
“I don’t understand”, said Reuven, “in all my years here the only thing I ever said to you was ‘good morning’ when I came in and ‘have a good night’ when I left”.
“That’s just it”, she replied, “before you came no one had any respect for me, they all thought I was [NOT WORTH REPEATING] and I suffered from constant verbal abuse. I was ready to leave and then you came along. Everyone respected you, they saw how you always greeted me with a smile and never used foul language and they began to treat me with respect (and watch their language).”
* Name has been changed since I didn’t ask for permission to repeat the story.
At a vort of ba’alei teshuva, an irreligious aunt of the chosson told me how impressed she was with the kallah: “Look how she conducts herself with other men- she’s so modest! I’m so happy that my nephew found such a rare girl like her.”
Her reaction reminded me of the reactions of our own irreligious relatives to our fully separate chasuna over a decade ago. They were amazed that men and women could dance without removing the mechitza to join each other.
When we do our jobs faithfully, we bring kiddush Hashem.
Dr Pepper, great story. It’s amazing how a little thing like ‘Good morning’ can make a difference. Our little actions and words have so much power. We can brighten someone’s day or bring it down with negativity, G-d forbid. This story is a good reminder.
Tomim, that’s also a nice one 🙂
a long while ago, while I was waiting for the bus, I found that I didn’t have enough change with me for the bus fare. Then a frum lady drove by and saw me and offered me a ride. It was very nice of her
I read this story in Touched by an Inspiration. Every year, Motzei Pesach, a family in Staten Island would go with there grandfather (who lived in a different State) to get ice cream. One year, the grandfather was not feeling well. So the family went without him. By the ice cream store, while everyone was trying to figure out which flavor to get, the lady behind the counter asked about the grandfather’s absence. They told her that he was not feeling so good. They asked her how she remembered their grandfather. She replied that when people come to the store, they speak to her while looking down at the ice cream. But the grandfather always looked at her and treated her with respect. When the family came back home, they told the grandfather the story. Immediately, the grandfather got up and put on his coat. They asked him where he’s going. He replied, a person looks foward to me talking to them and I’m not well enough?
A Gentile was moving in nearby and I went over to introduce myself. He told me that he was having some last minute work done before he moved in on Friday.
Friday morning I was driving home and spotted a parking spot right in front of his house. I parked there, went into his house, asked a construction worker for his phone number and let him know that when the moving truck comes he can call me and I’ll move the car. (This would give the workers room to carry the furniture straight into the house instead of going to the end of the block first.)
Fast forward a few years.
Erev Tisha B’Av I’m walking to work and I see this neighbor helping his friend jump start a car. I stopped to help and after we got the car started the owner asked why I stopped if I don’t even know him.
My neighbor answered- “Wait til you hear what he did for me the day I moved in… I actually saved a few hundred dollars since I was paying the movers by the hour and they had to carry the furniture a much smaller distance”.
Beautiful story.
BTW, it would be an even bigger KH if it was a Yid. (just sayin, since you specifically mentioned it wasn’t.)
I like this thread (Dr. Pepper thanks for restarting this)
I used to take the city bus to my elementary school every morning, and naturally when an older person got on, i stood and offered my seat. One morning an older guy got on, I was the only one that stood and gave him my seat. The next stop another old guy got on and another Bais yaakov girl stood up and moved to the back. The rest of the bus didn’t even offer. But by the next stop 3 older ppl got on and i guess after seeeing us show respect for them, the ENTIRE front of the bus stood up (all goyim)!!! It was very funny to see because the ppl that got on looked bewildered as there were so many seats to choose from! I don’t know if they got up because of me and that other girl but i still think that we caused a kidush Hashem.
I just want to say that when Camp Simcha went to Times Square on Wednesday, it was a massive Kiddush Hashem. My family was standing next to these two non-Jewish girls who were waving their flags and totally into it. Also for the Jews, for us to see what a special place/people Camp Simcha and Chai Lifeline are.
Dr. Pepper, I think that was a wonderful story – the kind of thing my hubby would have done, too. And I think it was a greater KH that it was done for a non-Jew, who has “who knows what type of thoughts” about Jewish people.
oomis1105-
It didn’t cost me anything except five minutes of my time, I didn’t realize until now that it saved him so much money.
Concerning the type of thoughts he has about Jewish people- when I met the rest of his family I learned that his wife and kids are Jewish. We found it very ironic that he is more concerned that the kids learn about their Jewish heritage than his wife is. He is the one who makes sure that they learn about the Jewish Holidays.
When a few families made a Purim Seudah (and we assumed he’d be at work) we invited the wife and kids. As fate would have it, they already made reservations at their synagogue…
Shortly before I was discharged from Maimonides after giving birth, I thanked the Russian nurse who had been on duty for two shifts during my stay.
Her words will remain with me always: “When I meet people like you, I know there is G-d in this world.”
I think of her words as positive reinforcement from Hashem.
I already posted this story in a different thread but I’ll post it again for the benefit of those who haven’t seen it.
When I was single I went on vacation with a few friends. For lunch one day we went out to a fast food restaurant to eat. After ordering we found a table to sit at while waiting for our food to be ready.
The cashier called out to us that our meal was ready and one friend went to pick up the food. On the way back he tripped over a kid and the food went flying.
He sheepishly went to the front to order the food all over again and ask for a mop and broom to clean up the mess.
The owner, who must have been watching from the back, came out and told him not to worry about cleaning it up. He then told the cashier to replace everything for free. My friend insisted on paying saying that the owner shouldn’t take a loss since it wasn’t his fault.
“It’s my restaurant”, said the owner, “I want everyone who comes in to leave with positive memories”.
It’s been about ten years since the story happened, yet I still try to go back and patronize the establishment whenever I am nearby.
When I hear the term Kidush HaSh-m, I immediately think of Roi Klein ztzvk”l who both lived and died al Kidush HaSh-m.
Hopefully most of you remember this young soldier, who, during the Lebanon War 4 summers ago, to save the life of fellow soldiers in his group, threw himself on a hezbolla grenade, while shouting Shema Yisrael with his last breath.
Those of you who have been zoche to read the book or see the video about his life, know that this was not one isolated act, but the culmination of a life devoted to HaSh-m, His Torah, His People and His Land. Yehi zichro baruch.
There’s being a bike-a-thon for Chai lifeline this tuesday.
About 40 bikers will leave tuesday morning from lakewood and bike up to Camp Simcha(Chai Lifelines Camp for sick children).
They will do a total of about 12 hours of biking and then spend a few hours in camp Simcha.
Each biker needs to raise a certain amount of money for Chai Lifeline and they already raised thousands of dollars so far.
A family member of mine is joining the ride and I juts gave my donation!
What selfless people! They give away hours to help this organization!
Mi keamcha yisreal!
Heard this from a former friend of mine who later on went OTD, became an ambulance chaser and is now a prominent lawyer.
While he was an ambulance chaser he was tasked with serving a summons to a Yungerman learning in Kollel for what he described was a “nuisance” lawsuit.
Armed with a picture of the defendant from when the defendant was in Yeshiva he went to the Kollel thinking that his Yeshiva background would help him pick out the correct person to issue the summons to.
When he walked into the Bais Medrash his mouth dropped open- the picture he had was of a clean shaven person- how’s he supposed to look around and pick out which bearded guy he’s supposed to hand the summons to without attracting too much attention that may cause the defendant to hide?
Soon enough someone came over to him, handed him a Yarmulka, and asked him if he’s Jewish and interested in learning about his beautiful heritage. Not wanting to attract too much attention (and he needed an excuse to stay there to look around) he “admitted” that he was walking by and stopped in out of curiosity about his background and was definitely interested in learning some more.
After chatting about Judaism for a few minutes the visitor was getting impatient but his “Chavrusa” had one more request- he wanted to help him do the mitzvah of Teffilin. While having Tefillin put on him he glanced at the name on the tallis bag only to see that the guy putting Teffilin on him was the very person he was supposed to hand the summons to.
He left without handing him the summons.
The Rabbenu Bechaya says that the kapora for Chilul Hashem is Kiddush Hashem.
Many stories here on YWN come to mind, but one of my favorites was years ago If I recall correctly a rav who was furnishing an office in a yeshiva or some other facility in Connecticut purchased a used desk and inside the drawer found a large sum of cash. He was somehow able to track down the prior owner and return the money.
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