A chassidish bochur davened every day for the release of the hostages in Gaza but mentioned specifically the name of British-Israeli citizen Emily Damari, who b’chasdei Hashem was released on Sunday together with Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher.
The story, as reported by Kikar Shabbat, was told over by the son’s father. “Our son, a yeshiva bochur, returned from Israel to London after Sukkos. When he boarded the plane, he noticed that his seat was assigned next to a woman. My son politely asked her if it was okay for her to move to sit in a nearby seat next to another woman so that he could sit next to a man. But the woman reacted angrily, belittled him for even asking, and of course refused to move.”
The bochur didn’t respond to her, but when he couldn’t find another seat, he remained standing, at a loss of what to do.
Suddenly, a secular woman approached him and told him that his sincerity in keeping halacha had deeply moved her, and she was willing to exchange places with him – she would sit next to the woman, and he would sit next to a man.
But it didn’t end there. The woman who agreed to swap places asked him for something else – “I have a daughter who was abducted to Gaza. Please I want you to daven for her every day that she’ll come out from there healthy and whole.”
That woman was Mandy Damari, who was born and raised in the UK and made aliyah in her 20s, where she married and raised four children on Kibbutz Kfar Azza.
Since then, the bochur has davened daily for Emily Tehilla bat Amanda Francis – Emily Damari – to be released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, until he was informed at the beginning of the week together with all of Am Yisrael that she was being released along with two other women.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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12 Responses
My daughter, who has cancer, has been davening every day for Romi Gonen to be released. Each girl in her class took on to daven every day for 1 hostage.
There’s no halacha that forbids sitting next to a woman.
Although altogether a beautiful story, I am not moved much: this is the essence of Am Yisroel! Every Jew feels the pain of the other Jew. We started Hatzoloh, Chaveirim, Shomrim etc. because we “feel” the pain of our fellow Jew. That is why we are Hashem’s chosen nation.
This is so beautiful.
I would just like to stress the fact that Mandy Damari offered to change seats with that bocher. I think that was was very special of her to do and shows what a wonderful person she must be. Kol hakovod Mandy!
@ Yaapchik, even though Klal Yisroel is full of chessed, there are unique people whose actions should move us. “WE” did not start all those wonderful chessed organizations you mentioned. There are certain special people who started and volunteer for those organizations. We don’t ALL do it. It moves me alot to hear about the selfless and brave actions of those individuals.
yblkwd: i dont disagree but come on man, is that what you took away from this story?
It’s beautiful that she was so moved by him. It’s also beautiful that he was was so committed to do what he’s been taught is the right thing to do.
However…. It is not a Halacha that a man can’t sit next to a woman, and I wonder if it’s really the right thing to make a big deal about seating arrangements on a plane when it can potentially cause more of a Chillul Hashem than a Kiddush Hashem. Baruch Hashem this bochur made a very big Kiddush Hashem in this story, but that’s probably not always the outcome.
yblkwd: It’s because of people like you who will find fault in whatever frum yidden do, that we are suffering so much.
LOOK WHOS TALKING!!
LOL me too hahaha jk
The headline could also read: “Emily Damari released in the z’chus of her mother’s kindness to a chassidic Bocher”
To the silly comment that “There’s no halacha that forbids sitting next to a woman.” No one claims that there is such a halacha. Rather it is a frum hanhagah.
This hanhagah has far more validity then many of your hanhagas, such as wearing a black hat (- there is no halacha that the hat must be black and not white or brown, and that it be a stetson style, rather than a cap). Likewise, there is no halacha against wearing running shoes to shul on shabbos. It is a hanhaga.
This hanhaga has a basis in halacha. It is called a syag – placing a fence, or a harchaka – distancing one from the forbidden.
Many do not walk on the side of the street that has a place of avioda zara. A harchaka – distancing from the forbidden.
Such hanhagos (stage or harchakos) are especially relevant to the three cardinal aveiros.
I spend the time explaining this, because sadly, there are many silly people that quip “There’s no halacha that forbids sitting next to a woman” when no claims there is such a halacha, but there is such a hanhogah, and it is commendable!
Another silly comment saying “The headline could also read: “Emily Damari released in the z’chus of her mother’s kindness to a chassidic Bocher””
The headline made no claims in whose zchus she was released, it simply stated: The Chassidish Bochur Who Davened For
Emily Damari’s Release Every Day.
You read into it that Emily Damari released in the z’chus of the tehilim this bochur was saying daily. Due to your mis-read, you questioned that might have been another zchus for her release, that her mother…but, no one is trying to make claim of which particular zchus Emily had! That itself would be silly. And then you question this unnamed particular zchus with an alternative! Silly on top of silliness.