As was reported here on YWN, Professor Gershon Ben-Shachar testified at the Tokyo High Court this past Wednesday, January the 26th, in the appeals trial on behalf of Yaakov Yosef ben Raizel. Askonim – including Rav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman of Migdal Ha’emek, Rav Aron Nezri and others  – took advantage of their trip to Japan to visit with both boys still being held at the Chiba Detention Center, Yaakov Yosef and Yoel Zev. Although the visit did much to lift the boys’ spirits, the visitors themselves were extremely impressed with their deep faith and positive outlook, despite their almost three-year incarceration.

Whilst klal yisroel received in jubilation the good news of the early release of Yosef ben Itah Rifkah, the youngest and the only juvenile of the three bochurim, who was serving a 5 year sentence in Israel; yidden around the world continue to plead mercy for the older two bochurim who since they were older than 18 years upon their arrival to Japan, are threatened with facing a much harsher and lengthier sentence.

In response to a letter which Yaakov Yosef received describing the tremendous Achdus of Klal Yisroel’s tefillos, he said that he felt that this Achdus helped to create a certain unity within the Japanese legal system, in that the judge presiding over Yoel Zev’s trial was willing to adjourn the proceedings so as to be able to incorporate Professor Ben-Shachar’s testimony at Yaakov Yosef’s appeal as evidence in Yoel Zev’s trial, an unusual move on Judge Hodoku’s part.

Just a small idea of what these two bochurim are going through: One of the boys read a story of a man who had survived the concentration camps during World War II but had lost his wife and children. In trying to portray his loneliness to one who had not gone through this gehennom, he described how on Friday night he realized that he no longer had anyone left to say “Good Shabbos” to. The bochur remarked that he, too, has no-one to say “Good Shabbos” to in the Japanese prison.

Let us reach out to them. Click on the link below to donate to the pidyon shvuyim effort.

IMPORTANT NOTE: CLICK HERE TO BE MEKAYEM PIDYON SHIVUYIM IN ASSISTING THE BOCHRIM STILL IN JAPAN PRISON!!

The tzibur is requested to continue being Mispallel for Yoel Zev ben Mirel Reesa Chava and Yaakov Yosef ben Raizel.

[Click on image above to ENLARGE]

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)