“If the call came to us, then Hashem is sending us a message. He wants us to get involved”

Living Higher

L

ast week, Jews the world over davened fervently for the safe return of Tzion ben Chaya Rivka, an eight-year-old boy gone missing in Lava River Cave in Flagstaff, Arizona.

When the news broke that he had been found by members of Rockland Chaverim, there was an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the One Who hears our prayers.

But those who were actively involved in the search were able to sense the Divine hashgachah all the more keenly.

“When we got the call,” says Yossi Margareten, coordinator of Rockland Chaverim, “members asked me, ‘Why should we go? It’s 2,000 miles away!’ I told them, ‘If the call came to us, then Hashem is sending us a message. He wants us to get involved.’ ”

Time was obviously of essence and Chaverim was not willing to wait for the next available commercial flight.

“We called Eli Rowe from Hatzolah Air,” says Yossi, “and he immediately agreed to take us there. We met the plane at 3 a.m. and arrived at the site by 9 a.m.”

The group davened a fervent Shacharis on the plane.

Before they entered the woods, Yossi turned to the group.

“We’re on a special mission,” he said. “But we have to recognize that all we are doing is hishtadlus. In the end, everything comes from Hashem.”

Meanwhile, Yossi arranged for a minyan of Chaverim members back in Monsey to daven at the kever of the Ribnitzer Rebbe.

Rockland Chaverim were far from the only selfless volunteers working frantically to locate the missing child. Hatzolah of Los Angeles drove a mobile command center to the scene, and numerous volunteers joined the search. A team of volunteers from various Baltimore organizations were on the scene as well.

We cannot know why it was destined for a member of Rockland Chaverim to find Tzion — within 90 minutes of their arrival.

“We have been on many missions,” says Yossi, “but this one had a special siyata d’Shmaya.”

Perhaps it was the zechus of the Ribnitzer Rebbe, perhaps it was the recognition that “if we got the call, it must be Hashem sending us a message,” but one thing is very clear:  When one sacrifices for another Jew, he sees “special siyata d’Shmaya.”

The Song that Never Ends

Photos by: Ezzy Katz

It's been a month fraught with fear of attacks from ruthless enemies, but a protection whose power our nemeses could never comprehend has advanced from all sides. Yeshivos may have been in recess, but the study of Torah — our most powerful defense — saw no break. As our valiant brethren engage in fearless battle on the front lines in Gaza and Lebanon, throughout the world, the words of Torah, our age-old sacred song of protection, continues to resonate.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1026)