"You are no longer Jewish," he told her, “You are Muslim." Recognition of this has hit her like a brick. "A Jew always remains a Jew," she replied, but his sentence still made her reflect on who she really was and what her identity was. She couldn’t sleep; she had thoughts and memories of how she would say Shema Yisroel and HaMalach Hagoel with her mother. Where was her Malach (angel) now? Who is protecting me? A few years ago, she met him, he told her that he went by the name Avi, but his real name was Avraham. She was sure that he was a Jew. He worked at a yeshiva and also knew things about Yidishkeit and managed to convince her. After a year, she learned that he was an Arab, but it was too late; she had already fallen in love with him and thought she might be able to convert him. Her family was disconnected from her and did not want to hear about an Arab, "Him or us, decide." She chose him. She was tied to him and dependent on him. She was ready to give up everything, even herself. Be a partner with us to light up their lives and rescue them, and together we could all celebrate Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah! Now, following the war, she understood the mistake she made; she recalled her past: how strong she was, how she knew what she wanted, how she had friends, succeeded in school, and how she had a loving and cohesive warm family. She was so loved that she crossed the line and did the unacceptable act of marrying an Arab. After she left everything, she became lonely, and she followed him through fire and water; he told her, "You are not Jewish, and our son, Adam, will be in Hamas because he is a non-Jewish Arab." This all began with him telling her that he was called Avi-Avraham. She was definitely not prepared for this. "My Son? My cute Adam, will he be Hamas?" That entire night, on Erev Rosh Hashanah, she cried and Davened, and she promised Hashem that she would light the Chanukah Menorah with her son as a Jew. That night her tears went straight to Shamayim, and in the morning, she found the Lehava organization online. She then spoke to Benzi Gofstein, who had her and her son rescued from their Arab village and dropped off at Rebbitzen Baranes’ safe house within one day. She met with girls and women who were in her situation and recovering, and her son met with Jewish children in the same situation who were already Davening and learning how to be a good Jew. This year she will already light her Chanukah Menorah with her Jewish son in Yerushalayim, Ir HaKodesh. Unfortunately, there are other women and children who want to be rescued and who need a warm and loving place to be. Be a partner with us to light up their lives and rescue them, and together we could all celebrate Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah!
