Every Shabbos afternoon, during the Sh’moneh Esrei of Minchah, we say, “Mi K’amcha Yisrael,” Who are like Your people, one nation on this earth! This is taken from Samuel II (7:23). See the commentaries there, such as the Ralbag, who explain that Hashem needed to create a special bond with us to treat us differently from all the other nations, so he made us unique on Earth and unified as one.
We have witnessed tragedy and victory as Jews this year, like no other nation. We have witnessed the unspeakable horrors and kidnappings of October 7, and its aftermath of unprecedented global anti-Semitism. The pain of Jews world over was our pain. The ecstasy of freed hostages was our ecstasy.
Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton, Florida, just sent out a thought-provoking message. In recent days we have seen a terrorist, laden with explosives in Tel Aviv, who blows himself up instead of mass casualties in that city.
Earlier today, 15 minutes before Hezbollah launches 6,000 missiles at Israeli urban centers, 100 Israeli warplanes successfully eliminate the threat in a preemptive attack. This is all thanks to the heroes of the IDF acting as agents of Hashem.
There are things happening regularly today, writes Rabbi Goldberg, that we would have established as holidays in the past.
He is obviously right. And he did not mention the 300 missiles launched by Iran a month ago that caused almost no human damage. The is no G-d like our G-d and there are no people like our people.
To illustrate this further, there was a story that riveted most of the Jewish world, and especially here in Baltimore.
A family that davens in the same shul as I do was vacationing with their children in Arizona. They toured a system of caves and tunnels buried in one of the mountain ranges in the region. In short, their young son named Tzion became detached from the family and ended up wandering alone in the forest overnight in drenching rain. It is hard to imagine the terror that the parents had to live through during the time the boy was missing.
As soon as word spread that this boy from Baltimore was missing, Hatzalah and Chaverim from across the country, including Queens (Eli Rowe piloted a private plane filled with volunteers), came flying in to search for the boy. Indeed, reportedly, it was a member of the Rockland County Chaverim who ultimately found Tzion. The local authorities never saw anything like this. In fact, it is reported that the local search teams understandably called off the search for the night due to the rain. But the Jewish volunteers were undeterred in their search for a youngster whose family they surely never heard of prior to the incident. Mi K’amcha Yisrael!
On Thursday afternoon, when the search was ongoing, the Baltimore Scoop sent out a message that people should come to say T’hilim at the gravesite of Rav Michoel Forshlager at 1:30 p.m. I would say about 35 men showed up.
Who is Rabbi Forshlager? It so happens I heard of Rav Forshlager from Rav Yissocher Frand in a shiur a few months ago. He was a hidden tzadik and giant in learning, a disciple of the Avnei Neizer, one of the giants of Polish Jewry who died in 1910. Rav Forshlager settled in Baltimore, where he remained for decades, refusing to serve in the rabbinate but choosing to be a teacher of Torah instead. He was unknown to the larger public until his death in 1959.
The cemetery is about a half-hour from where I live, and Waze leads you through all kinds of unsavory neighborhoods. On the way back, I decided to fill up with gas at a station where I saw a chasid getting gas, so I felt “safe “entering. We recognized each other from the T’hilim gathering. He came over to me and said he could not believe the phone call he received. His wife called him to let him know that just about at the time we were finished davening at the kever, young Tzion was found! I was truly awestruck. I was extremely intrigued by the greatness even in death of Rav Forshlager, whose kever is adorned with all kinds of kvitlach (personal written petitions) and candles.
The next day, Friday, I went with my wife Peri to visit an elderly aunt of hers in our neighborhood who is under the constant care of her son Yankee Dinowitz and his wife Cathy. For no apparent reason, Cathy told me that I must read a great book she is reading, the biography of Rabbi Michoel Forshlager. I asked her what made her think that I would be interested in his life. She said there was no reason, other than that it is an “awesome “book.
Cathy was kind enough to lend it to me. I am now beginning to get a glimpse of this very special hidden American gem. I can see why his z’chus (merit of his memory) might have been a factor in Tzion’s discovery. Even in death, our people are remarkable.
The president of the shul in Baltimore mentioned to me on Shabbos a poignant observation in the name of his wife. The haftarah of last week (for Eikev) begins with “And Tzion said, ‘Hashem has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me’ (Isaiah 49:14).” It concludes with: “For G-d shall comfort Tzion…joy and gladness shall be found there, thanksgiving and the sound of music.” Tzion indeed returned.
Did you see the scenes of boys dancing in camps everywhere? We are more special than we ever realize. Let’s hope that Hashem realizes it, too, and brings peace and prosperity to the people of Israel while at the same time offering the sorely needed comfort to so many of the bereaved.
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.
