Beyond the Headlines: Brought Together by a Soul
- Sivan Rahav Meir
- Sep 5
- 4 min read
A weekly glimpse into the Israel you won’t read about in the news
When Yisrael Fenigstein speaks about his grandson Ma’oz who fell in Gaza, he says softly: “We don’t know what these holy souls are doing up there.”
As a child, Ma’oz lived in Montreal, Canada, where his parents, Elad and Tzurit, were on shlichut. He attended the Hebrew Academy alongside classmates Binyamin (Benji) Friedman and Eliana Roher, although after those school years they lost touch.
Following Ma’oz’s death, a stunned Eliana turned to the school alumni WhatsApp group with an idea to honor his memory. She began raising funds to print copies of Mesilat Yesharim (Path of the Just) by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (the Ramchal) — a timeless work of ethics and spiritual guidance. The books, she explained, would be donated to their old school and to other institutions, so that as many people as possible could learn in Ma’oz’s merit.
When Benji heard about the project, he reached out to Eliana. He was preparing to travel to Israel on a volunteer mission and asked for a copy of the book to deliver personally to Ma’oz’s family.
Not long ago, Benji and Eliana stood together under the chuppah in Canada. At their wedding, the officiating rabbi, Zali Kleiman, told the guests: “Ma’oz’s soul brought you together. He was your matchmaker. You studied in the same school for twelve years without ever having a real conversation. And yet, here you are — connected because of this Jewish hero, and through your shared love of Torah. This is not only Benji and Eliana’s private story. We are all part of something much greater.”
Today, Benji and Eliana are both 26. She is completing her medical studies, and together they are planning their next chapter: making aliyah.
106 Years of Faith
So who is the oldest Jew in the world? Last time, I wrote here about the 105th birthday of Renee Binstock. This week, I was delighted to hear from the Mamo family; compared to their grandmother, Renee is practically a youngster. Their grandmother, Aliza Mamo, will soon celebrate her 106th birthday.
Her grandson, Ilan Shevah, relates:“Grandma was born on the island of Djerba, Tunisia, in 1919. As a child and teenager she was active and full of energy—helping the elderly, running errands for her parents, dashing through the narrow alleys of the Jewish quarter. She grew up under the influence of Djerba’s sages and righteous men, absorbing holiness and yirat Shamayim.
“After her marriage, our grandfather worked outside the home and she raised the family almost single-handedly. Their lives were not easy, but they were meaningful. Saba became a wanted man due to his vigorous activity on behalf of immigration to Israel, and the family had to be smuggled out of Tunisia. That began their chapter in Israel’s transit camps.
“She worked on a kibbutz, raised six children (one passed away as an infant), and was blessed with 26 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, and even a great-great-grandchild. She lived a simple, modest life in nothing more than a wooden hut, yet for us it contained everything. Forty-two years ago, Saba passed away, and since then she has lived in a tiny one-room government-subsidized apartment in Kiryat Ata—yet she comports herself as if she were the Queen of England in a palace.
“It may sound strange to our generation, but only after Saba’s passing did she learn to read and write Hebrew. Since then, she has read, prayed, and clung to her books. Today she still lives independently on a modest stipend but she is happier than most people I know. Even now, after suffering a hip fracture, she never stops thanking, praying, and yearning for the complete redemption. An ordinary, simple woman—seemingly—who has so much to teach the younger generation.”
Before You!
The accompanying photo shows thousands of Jews gathered at the Kotel HaMaaravi for Selichot prayers which, according to Sephardic tradition, are recited from the beginning of Elul until Yom Kippur. (Ashkenazim begin Selichot on the Saturday night prior to Rosh Hashanah.)
Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik said that in reciting Selichot these words stand out: “We have sinned before You.” Yes, we have sinned, but we are before You — opposite You, with You. God is with us even after we have sinned, even after we have made mistakes. He waits for us, listens, and forgives.
This is a process that includes embarrassment and regret. We do not claim that everything about us is perfect, and it’s clear that we need to improve. But the main idea is that it’s possible to change. In being together with You, we are asking for a fresh start.
Think about a world that lacks the Selichot of Elul, Heaven forbid. And now think about our world, in which the Selichot of Elul are a fixed tradition. Instead of being mired in frustration and sadness, we can channel these emotions into soul-searching, prayer, self-improvement, and teshuvah.
Great Dreams Begin with Small Steps
The month of Elul is dedicated to mercy and forgiveness and to improving our ways. In my last column here and in my WhatsApp group, I suggested that over the next 40 days, between now and Yom Kippur, people decide upon a positive action they would like to embrace, and I received so many moving answers!
I noticed that people’s resolutions can be divided into two categories. Some decided to tackle lofty, far-reaching goals, such as, honoring parents, not yelling at the kids, praying with deeper intent, and curtailing social media.
Others chose goals that were more focused and specific, such as reciting three chapters of Tehllim each day, phoning their grandmother every Friday before Shabbat, or erasing extraneous apps from their cell phone.
It's wonderful to have dreams and aspirations, but in order to fulfill them it is preferable to decide on one specific goal - to take on one small act whose success is measurable and that we are able to sustain over time.
In order to achieve great dreams, we must begin with small steps, with practical ideas. I urge you to take advantage of this special period dedicated to repentance and improvement by taking upon yourself one small change that you are able to actualize immediately, beginning today.
Translated by Yehoshua Siskin and Janine Muller Sherr
Want to read more by Sivan Rahav Meir?
Google The Daily Thought or visit sivanrahavmeir.com
Comments