Many family members of hostages have visited the homes of Gedolei Yisrael, who wept and davened with them and tried to provide chizzuk.

The family members of Romi Gonen was one of them despite the fact that before October 7, they had little connection to Yiddishkeit and had no familiarity with the Chareidi sector, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.

Romi’s mother, Meirav Leshem-Gonen, was one of the leaders of the public battle to bring the hostages home. Chareidi publicist Yisrael Cohen told Kikar that shortly after October 7, some of the leading activists for the release of the hostages, including the Gonen family, turned to him and Rav Druck with a request to recruit the Chareidi sector to their campaign, especially Rabbanim and Gedolei HaDor. Rav Druck founded the Kissufim organization, which supports the hostages’ families.

Cohen said that the activists’ original goal was to convince the Chareidim to support a hostage deal but the connection quickly turned into one of ruchniyus, of chizzuk, and accepting kabbalos for the hostages’ release.

Romi’s mother, Meirav, attended every meeting she could to ask Gedolim for tefillos and brachos.

“The visits to Gedolei Yisrael instilled Meirav with emunah that nissim can happen and strengthened her hope that her daughter Romi will return home,” Cohen said.

One of her visits was to HaGaon HaRav Baruch Dov Povarsky, who spoke to her for many long moments, saying words of chizzuk, and according to Cohen, “She left the room with her face shining.”

She was also zocheh to see HaGaon HaRav Dov Landua, who generally refrains from meeting with women. HaRav Landau gave her a special bracha as she stood at the doorway and she was very moved. Afterward, she sat with Rebbetzin Landau, who spoke words of chizzuk and emunah.

Meirav and her husband [Romi’s stepfather] also met with HaGaon HaRav Shraga Shteinman, who also spoke words of chizzuk and told them not to give up hope.

Meirav also met with HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch. HaRav Druck told Kikar that Meirav continued her connection with HaRav Hirsch, asking him shailos and sending him letters.

Rav Druck noted that last week, Meirav told him that “Hashem Yisbarach orchestrates everything from above, that through the abduction of her daughter, she was exposed to Gedolei HaDor, the Chareidi sector, and emunah.”

As YWN reported, Romi’s father and brother also made kabbalos in Yiddishkeit, and he and his wife [Romi’s stepmother] publicly recited Shechiyanu upon hearing the news of Romi’s release.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)