It didn’t take long to realize this was no ordinary brit. When Rabbi Shmuel Lifschitz, one of the leaders of Yad L’Achim, was honored with sandek, it became clear to all that this was special. It was the closing of a circle for another Jewish woman rescued from a devastating marriage with an Arab.
The story begins with R., a young woman from a distressed family in the south, who fell into a relationship with an Arab from a particularly hostile village. One day she tried to escape the village, reaching out to the few family members who would still speak to her for help. But she was tracked down by her husband’s Arab clan, returned to the village and forced to convert to Islam – her “punishment” for trying to reconnect with her people.
When Yad L’Achim learned of R., its rescue teams devised a plan to extricate her from the village and bring her to a safe house. At the same time, Yad L’Achim’s legal team went into action, demanding that all those involved in her forced detention be brought to justice. The organization’s social workers were in daily contact with R., helping with her rehabilitation and strengthening her Jewish identity.
Recently, her son was brought into the covenant of Avraham Avinu. The voice of the mohel, Rabbi Yosef Kurt, shook with emotion as he recited the blessing, in that this was no ordinary brit, but a momentous step in the return of a Jewish woman to her people.
adapted from Chabadinfo
