A Miraculous Change
in Narrative
Jessica Chammah
Every moment of life is
a miracle
Eyla Benedykt
Conceiving a Miracle
Liz Hop
Miraculously at Home!
Lena Reker
The Miracle of Silence
Jonathan Touboul
A Miraculous Change in Narrative
Jessica Chammah
Sales & Events Executive, United Kingdom
Development Company for Israel (International) Ltd.
I would like to share with you an uplifting and impactful moment I recently experienced.
About a week ago, colleagues from Israel Bonds and I took part in the North London Friends of Israel’s annual meeting. This meeting gives supporters of Israel an opportunity to engage and socialise with like-minded people while listening to some
inspiring speakers.
Due to the current COVID environment, the organisers were worried about the turnout, but as it happened it was a full house. This event was open to anyone who wished to express their support for Israel or had questions about Israel-related matters.
There are individuals out there who can look beyond their own cultures and can bring others to embrace the broader narrative of what Israel can represent to many nations.
At some point during the meeting, one of the committee members introduced a new member—a young Muslim Arab who was there with his supportive mother. The young man was asked to say a few words. He talked about his support of Israel and how he would like to communicate a change of narrative to other members of his community.
To me, this surprising addition to the event shows that there are individuals out there who can look beyond their own cultures without blinkers and can bring others to embrace the broader narrative of what Israel can represent
to many nations.
Is that what constitute a miracle today? I think so…
Photo Credit: Blake Ezra Photography
Every moment of life is a miracle
Eyla Benedykt
Brazil Representative
Development Company for Israel (International) Ltd.
During our lifetime, we go through happy moments and not so happy ones, and in the difficult times, we usually ask for things that we took for granted in our normal daily lives, such as health, being with family, hugging parents and children, laughing with friends or even earning a living.
I regard all these moments as miracles— so simple, but at the same time so important and necessary for our lives, as was the oil to keep the flames of the menorah lit.
Chanukah celebrates the past, but it celebrates the present and the future, for while it recalls the miracle of a single vial of oil burning for eight days, it also imbues the world with the hope that light will triumph over negativity.
On this Chanukah, so special after such a long period of social isolation, I wish you all a Chanukah with lots of light, faith and the realization of great miracles.
May we all experience and appreciate the miracle of being together again and lighting the Chanukiah candles with much peace and health.
Conceiving a Miracle
Liz Hop
President, Hatikva Group, Mexico City
When my husband and I had been married for three years, we decided that it was time to have a sibling for our only child, who had just turned two. Time had passed and still we were unable to conceive another child. We began seeking medical advice from fertility specialists and our long saga of treatments and medical appointments began, but our quest remained fruitless for many years. We went here and there, to this doctor and then another who came highly recommended, and yet, there was no good news on the horizon. We began to despair as the time passed and we undertook different types of treatments, varying from the simplest to the newest and most elaborate, such as in vitro fertilization.
Though I was able to conceive, pregnancies had been terminated during the first weeks on various occasions due to unexpected failures. Still, the time went by, and we continued to pray and try to have another child, since we knew in our hearts that one day our efforts and dreams would come to fruition.
Fifteen years passed, and we were about to give up hope when I heard about a group called “Hatikvah.” True to its name, the organization offered us hope, fulfillment and emotional support. They also found us an apartment in Israel to continue treatments once more, and, thanks to Rabbi Shlomo Tawil and his words of encouragement, we continued to move forward with a renewed energy.
We were finally able to experience a true miracle: I was finally able to conceive and bring into the world a lovely girl
We met Professor Shlomo Mashiaj in Israel, who explained that the task at hand was quite simple and that an operation was needed to solve the problem. Could it be true at last? Another doctor? Just a simple operation and voilà? Surely this time would be different, since now we had “Hatikva,” the hope. They performed an operation on me and after a few months, we had an IVF procedure.
Thanks to the Almighty, to the Hatikva group and to so many people who prayed for us, we were able to experience a true miracle: I was finally able to conceive and bring into the world a lovely girl after sixteen long years of perseverance and never losing faith in G-d.
I currently represent the group Hatikva, and we have been able to assist couples bring 410 babies into the world, blessed be the Almighty and the many people who have helped us through their generosity and donations. These children have grown, and some are even beginning their own families. We continue to expand and to achieve even more because to hope with faith is the true meaning of Hatikva.
Miraculously at Home!
Lena Reker
Administrator, Germany
Development Company for Israel (Europe) GmbH
Sometimes my connection to Israel seems like a miracle to me. I have neither a Jewish background nor family ties to the country, and I did not grow up in a Christian family with a particular religious connection to Israel.
When I started my bachelor´s degree in history,
we had to take courses in a language connected
to our study. For some reason I chose Biblical Hebrew – that´s probably the first miracle in the story. It fascinated me to learn a completely new alphabet and a language no one else I knew had ever learned. And what can I say? I really enjoyed it. So, I continued learning and studying Biblical Hebrew during my whole degree, but I didn´t stop there. For my master´s degree, I started, to learn Ivrit as well, and then finally took the decision to study a year abroad in Israel.
I was so nervous when I left for Israel, yet I felt at home from day one and this is truly a miracle to me.
From September 2012 until August 2013, I studied political science at the University of Haifa. This was my very first visit to Israel – and the longest I have ever stayed in a different country. I was so nervous when I left for Israel, yet I felt at home from day one and this is truly a miracle to me. I would never have expected this. But once I arrived, I just felt that I was in the right place. I enjoyed my time there so much and the hardest thing was to leave again.
Since then, I have visited Israel regularly and I can´t wait to go again.
Photo Credit: Xenia Menzl
The Miracle of Silence
Jonathan Touboul
Executive Director of French Speaking Countries
Development Company for Israel (Europe) GmbH
Our tradition is full of miraculous stories that aim to reinforce our faith. But sometimes, the magnitude of the miracle depends primarily on the ability of the beholder to discern what is miraculous in the particular situation.
Recently, an Israeli newspaper reported on one of those stories that defies understanding for those who take the time to look beneath the surface.
In an Israeli city, at a bus stop stood an old man, dressed quite simply and without any outward sign of religiosity. The bus was very crowded when it stopped, but the old man got on with the other passengers and punched his ticket.
This could only be the sign of a great man and she asked him for a blessing, which he kindly gave her.
Suddenly, the bus driver shouted at the old man and told him that everyone had to pay for the ride and that he too had to have a ticket. The old man did not respond but approached the driver to punch a second ticket.
As the old man was getting off the bus at the next stop, a young Orthodox woman followed him and called out to him. She had seen the whole episode and was impressed by the strength of this man who, in order not to dignify an insulting remark with an answer, suppressed his anger and preferred to remain silent. She thought that this could only be the sign of a great man and asked him for a blessing, which he kindly gave her. This woman was unable to have children, but she testified to the newspaper that shortly after the incident, she became pregnant.
It is clear that the silence and the blessing of a simple man can offer many virtues... so maybe this is what we
can call a miracle!
Photo Credit: Studio Maubeuge