Eli made them a promise — that im yirtzeh Hashem, he would sing at the child’s bar mitzvah

Thirteen years ago, musician and composer ELI SCHWEBEL was learning in Rabbi Eytan Feiner’s shiur at Aish HaTorah, when the Feiners’ decade-plus of prayers were answered with the birth of their son. But “Tinok ben Aviva,” as he was known to the thousands who prayed for him, was in a precarious condition. When Eli attended the shalom zachor of the baby who nobody was sure would survive, the overwhelming emotion brought him to compose a song named “Bris Eisanim,” in honor of his rebbi’s family. Rabbi Feiner and Rebbetzin Aviva listened to the song each day for six months as they traveled to and from the hospital, and Eli made them a promise — that im yirtzeh Hashem, he would sing at the child’s bar mitzvah.

The Feiners — now rav and rebbeztin of the “White Shul” in Far Rockaway — believed with all their hearts that the day would come, and even commissioned the writing of a Sefer Torah to be dedicated in honor of Shaya Feiner’s bar mitzvah. And as the years passed, every time Rebbetzin Aviva would speak with Eli, she would remind him of his promise as well. When he was finally able to fulfill it last week, Eli says it was “one of the most emotional singing experiences I have ever had.”

And what could have been more appropriate than to add his recently-composed song of gratitude — “Nodeh Lecha” — to express the wonder and the joy of the bar mitzvah which, at the shalom zachor 13 years ago, many doubted would ever happen?

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 866)