Last week I had the privilege of participating in a global women’s Zoom event. Initiated by social activist Sharon Adam and Rabbanit Rachel Bazak, this joint broadcast connected thousands of women from Israel and around the world.
The broadcast hosted Lena Trufanov, mother of Sasha, who was released last Shabbat. “Dear women, what am I asking?” Lena said. “Please try to be less angry, less irritable, express gratitude, and speak kindly. It’s the little things that matter.”
But what does refraining from yelling at one’s children have to do with Sasha? Lena, who emigrated to Israel from the Soviet Union, had very little familiarity with Judaism. However, since the tragic events of Oct. 7, 2023, when she herself was taken hostage, she discovered a deep connection to her heritage, including the concept of mutual responsibility among the Jewish people.
“During the time I was held captive and afterward, Judaism provided me with meaning and joy,” she shared.
“I realized that all Jews are interconnected, and every commandment we observe impacts others. Your actions give strength to me and to Sasha.”
Lena also discussed her decision to avoid exposure to the news until Sasha’s return, as she found it disheartening and confusing rather than helpful.
The event resonated with similar powerful sentiments from additional mothers of hostages.
Shelly Shem Tov, whose son Omer remains captive in Gaza, described her anguish as labor pains, painful yet hopeful that something positive will emerge. “You are the midwives assisting me,” she said.
“Focus on strengthening one small aspect of your lives.”
Siggy Cohen, mother of Eli, asked attendees to keep her son in their thoughts during Shabbat candlelighting, kiddush and Torah reading in synagogues.
Julie Kuperstein, Ditsa Or, Efrat Mor and Galit Kalfon each echoed these powerful messages.
Concluding the event, Meirav Berger, mother of recently released hostage Agam, expressed gratitude to the millions of Jews worldwide who supported them throughout their ordeal.
“Agam was kidnapped because she is Jewish, prompting a reflection on our Jewish identity. It is only together, with strength and with prayer that we turn the impossible into the possible.
“Dream, pray and request the utmost.”
Coming down from Sinai
Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz derives an important life lesson from this week’s Torah portion of Mishpatim. He writes:
“The most unusual part about Parashat Mishpatim is . . . Parashat Mishpatim. How do we move from the dramatic and earthshattering revelation on Mount Sinai to a listing of 53 mitzvot pertaining to different areas of life?
“How is it possible to go from the lofty and sublime Giving of the Torah to instructions about how to take care of your donkey, or what happens if someone breaks your tooth and causes you injury?
“The answer is that in order to achieve great things, we must begin with the small details. This is the only way to create meaning and to bring the revelation on Mount Sinai into our day-to-day lives.
In contrast to the well-known saying, “The end justifies the means,” the Torah teaches us, “The means sanctify the end.” We cannot preserve the thunder and lightning of Sinai, but we can take the spirit of that encounter and translate it into practical actions — mitzvot — that elevate our lives at home, on the road, in the bank or in the marketplace.
“We are accustomed to lifting our eyes heavenward when we speak about Hashem, but Parashat Mishaptim teaches us that He is also present in the money we spend, in the apple we eat, and in our attitude toward the parking lot attendant.”
A dream fulfilled
Sima Hajaj and her husband Yakir, parents of three, had long cherished a dream together — to dedicate a Torah scroll. However, this dream had always seemed unattainable. About three-and-a-half years ago, their lives took a drastic turn when Sima was diagnosed with cancer, thrusting them into a grueling journey of treatments and surgeries.
The couple showed profound unity in the face of adversity, each taking charge of different aspects to swiftly find solutions.
During one of their uplifting conversations amidst the trials, they made a commitment to each other that should they overcome the cancer, they would fulfill their longstanding dream of dedicating a Torah scroll.
In her darkest moments, Sima found solace and strength by visualizing the Torah procession; she imagined her children dancing, onlookers peering from windows and the sound of cars honking in celebration.
This vision of joy and communal upliftment kept her going.
A year after Sima’s diagnosis and following the most intense phase of recovery, the couple hosted a meal of gratitude. In a spontaneous gesture during the event, Yakir invited Eliyahu Aton, a scribe, to commence the writing of a Torah scroll.
When asked about the dedication of the Torah, Yakir declared it was “For the sake of the living!”
That day marked a rebirth for Sima.
After the Torah scroll was completed, an unforeseen opportunity arose when a friend from the community of Talmei Yosef, located seven kilometers from the Gaza border, informed them that their community’s Torah scroll had been disqualified and they were in need of a new one.
Through clear divine providence, the Torah written “for the sake of the living” found a new home just at the right time.
The Torah dedication became a profoundly significant event, especially marked by the presence of Sigal Kraunik and her children.
Sigal’s husband, Arik, the former security officer of Kibbutz Be’eri and one of the first to fall defending others on Oct. 7, imbued the occasion with deep emotional resonance. Thus, a dream shared by two eighteen-year-olds brought light into their lives and to others, two decades later.
Translated by Yehoshua Siskin, Janine Muller Sherr
