Chedva Goldschmidt, a resident of the Pisgat Ze’ev neighborhood in Jerusalem, found an envelope in her mailbox before Yom Kippur from an unknown person, Chareidim10 reported.

Inside the envelope was a letter and NIS 1,000. The letter stated: “Chedvah, with much shame and regret I write to you that over 30 years ago I stole your camera from you in a camp in the forest. In recent years, I’ve gone through a process of teshuvah and I remembered what happened and I was very ashamed. I am full of tza’ar for the agmas nefesh I caused you. My Rav told me that I can return the money anonymously and my psychologist helped me figure out how I can return the money to you or repair a little of the damage I caused you.”

“I hope and daven that you can forgive me. Shanah Tova and Gemar Chasimah Tova.”

Chedva told Chareidim 10 that in the past she was a madrichah in Bnei Akiva and was at a camp in the forest several times in the summer, where she always walked around with a camera. However, she said that she’s the type that always loses things and doesn’t even remember the incident.

“I was very surprised by the letter and very moved,” she said. “I decided to publish the letter without permission and I hope it’s okay, because I think there is an opportunity here to convey a deep message of achdus and love as well as a moving request for foregiveness.”

Chedva posted the letter on Facebook and wrote a message, hoping that the person who sent the apology would see it. “You managed to really surprise me!” she wrote. “I ask my dear childhood friends to share this in the hope that my message will reach its destination. I don’t know who you are – the anonymous person who left an envelope with money and a letter in my mailbox. I don’t remember the incident but if you see this, I want to say thank you.”

“Thank you for remembering, thank you for awakening us all to teshuvah, and of course, I forgive you and wish you a good life full of happiness and shefa.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)