Over 100 relatives of the Israeli captives in Gaza came to the roof of the Aish Hatorah building opposite the Western Wall in Jerusalem. A prayer assembly, on the 11th of Cheshvan, the day Rachel Imeinu died, of whom it is said that she prays for us: and sons returned to their borders.
Meirav Leshem-Gonen, mother of kidnapped Romi, said there: “We didn’t choose this family, we don’t want to be part of it, but when we entered it – we discovered that the whole Jewish People is one family. I am not religious, but I ask that we pray together from this holy place.”
So we prayed. There were chapters of Psalms and the blowing of the shofar, but at the end Rabbi Eitiel Golwicht, who initiated the event, asked everyone to simply become silent and let the heart speak. Thirty seconds of a faint, silent voice, of prayer from the heart.
Source: Facebook page of Sivan Rahav-Meir
And all the fathers and the mothers and the sisters and the brothers closed their eyes and prayed for their loved ones, in such a special time, in such a special place. And together with them, thousands in London, California, New York, Argentina prayed with them silently because how did Merav put it? It’s one family.
And after so much noise that we’ve been hearing from that Shabbat morning, this quiet was so powerful.
Listen to the quiet. You’re invited to join. May the prayers be answered.