Reb Shlomo Aharon Galaster, z’l, who was hospitalized in HaEmek Medical Center in Afula with the coronavirus, was tragically left alone in his last moments of life on Thursday when his relatives were delayed in a traffic jam due to the snowstorm in Israel last week.

Maher Ibrahim, the head nurse of the coronavirus ward, stepped in, taking a siddur and reciting Shema Yisrael in the niftar’s ear.

“The family was making the long trip from Netanya to Afula” Ibrahim told Radio 103FM. “We prayed the whole time that they would manage to arrive in time, to at least see him in his final moments, but unfortunately his death arrived before they did.”

“I took two courses on Judaism when studying for my M.A. in Ben Gurion University. I don’t know the whole prayer but I know there’s a prayer that Jews say towards the end of life – Shema Yisrael. So I stood by the head of his bed and said Shema Yisrael.”

“When his daughter arrived, it was too late. I sensed that she felt something was lacking  so I shared with her what I did. I told her: ‘I don’t know if it’s accepted or not since I’m a Muslim and he’s a Jew. But the last words that he heard was a prayer – Shema.’ I saw tears in her eyes.”

Ibrahim added that the daughter called him after shiva was over and told him that his act was the only thing that comforted her.

“It warmed my heart to hear that it helped comfort her. At times we’re the last voices a patient hears, especially during the pandemic – with the closed wards. We need to be there as people for our patients before our role as caretakers. That’s what is needed and that’s what we’ll continue doing.”

The radio hosts were moved by Ibrahim’s words, with one of them saying: “I have tears in my eyes” and the other one emphasizing: “You did a very great thing.”

Meirav, the daughter of the niftar, told Reshet Bet: “Peace starts here. My father was a Chabadnik. He couldn’t stop talking about the devoted care provided by all the staff members – to everyone.”

The story gained much publicity, with even Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu calling Ibrahim to thank him for his act of kindness.

Ibrahim told Kikar H’Shabbos: “Shlomo Aharon, z’l, was a very dear man. We were very attached to him the whole time he was hospitalized. He would bless us all the time – the entire staff.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)