Each year our community gives so much to ten of Israel’s wounded soldiers. But as much as we give them, they give us so much more in return. They inspire us, they give us hope, they show us the strength of the individual and the strength of the Jewish nation. They teach us passion and dedication, commitment and Jewish pride.
One of the events we organized for the Israeli veterans in June 2010 was a cruise. We invited young professionals in our community to join the severely wounded soldiers for a Lag Ba’omer bash. I sent out multiple texts and emails inviting people to attend. I made phone calls and mentioned it to everyone I bumped into.
I worked particularly hard to convince my friend Sam* to come to the party. I texted him. No response. I emailed him. No response. I facebooked him. Still no response.
By Divine Providence I met Sam on the morning of the event. Excited, I asked him, “Nu, Sam, will we see you tonight?” He hemmed and hawed and tried to get out of it, but I cajoled him into making a commitment. I knew Sam takes his commitments seriously, so once he said he was coming, I knew he was coming.
When he came home from work that night he was exhausted and ready to hit the sack. But a commitment is a commitment. So Sam jumped into a taxi and headed to the water. As luck would have it, crosstown traffic was at its peak, and the taxi wasn’t going anywhere. Intent on honoring his commitment, Sam jumped right out of that cab and ran across Central Park, where he flagged down yet another taxi which brought him to the cruise terminal right in the nick of time. As Sam boarded, the boat left the harbor…
Now, at that same Lag Ba’omer party was Sarah*, a young woman who I knew only peripherally. Sarah was not a regular at our events, but when she heard about the cruise and the wounded IDF soldiers, she knew she wanted to participate.
Sam noticed Sarah, and something about her manner caught his eye. He found himself in a trance; he couldn’t stop looking at her. He wanted to approach her, but she was busy talking to the soldiers for much of the evening. Much as he wished to talk with her, the opportunity did not present itself that night.
Sometime later, Sam’s friend asked him to go to another event. He was about to say “No, I’m too tired,” when he decided to go along. Unbeknownst to Sam, Sarah was at that event too. When a friend invited Sam to join him –along with some other friends – for dinner, he realized that Sarah was among the group. He approached her and they hit off immediately. They began dating and have been together since then.
Finally, this week Sam called me to share the happy news of their engagement. Sarah and Sam will be married in a few months’ time.
Two happy individuals, a Divinely determined match, and the beginning of a new family. There is no doubt in my mind that our community received more than we gave that group of veterans who were the start of this blossoming relationship.
On Purim there is a Mitzvah to give charity. Our sages teach us that the poor person receives the gift; however the giver receives so much more in return!
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals.
Kelly wrote...