The Minyan That Saved Our Lives

A fascinating story of Hashgacha Protis occurred to Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz, director of Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida, and his family while they were visiting Moscow this week, which he shared with CrownHeights.info and our readers.

Relates Rabbi Minkowicz:

This week I and my children Zeldie, Chaya Mushka and Peretz Meir Simcha visited Moscow, Russia, where we were hosted by Mr. Vadim Lipkind and local Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kuperman.

We visited the Chabad Mosdos and spent Shabbos at the Marina Roscha Synagogue and Jewish Community Center, headed by Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, who has revolutionized Russia in an unbelievable way. Judaism is booming there: Chabad Houses, Shuls, Schools, Museums, kosher supermarkets and restaurants are everywhere.

As our visit came to a close, we were told that the ride from Moscow to the airport has heavy traffic, so we would have to send our luggage with a car early on, and we would travel on the speed train to the airport closer to the time of our flight.

On Monday night, as we were going over the logistics of getting to the airport, Rabbi Kuperman said “I’m going to send a big van that will take you and your luggage to the airport.” I said “aren’t we supposed to be going by train?” He responded that since he has a Minyan at his Chabad House that he has to be back for, he won’t be able to go with us on the Train. Instead, he sent us and our luggage with the van driver early on.

When we landed in Israel, we received the shocking news of a major train accident in Moscow that claimed the lives of 20 people and injured 120 more. That train was the one we were scheduled to ride to the airport that morning.

It was one of the worst accidents on the Russian capital’s subway system in years, but we weren’t on that train, thanks to Rabbi Kuperman’s Minyan and Hashem who watches over us.

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2 Comments

  • the train accident

    happened in the subway. a separate speed train goes to the airport. but it’s hashgocha protis anyway.

  • Bucher from Moscow

    While Hashem always watches over us I doubt that they would have been on that train, in Moscow during rush hour a train comes every 30 to 40 seconds! (No joke, and the rest of the day it’s about every 2 minutes) al pe teva the chance of having been on that train was very unlikely. But it’s all in hashes hands, and I don’t men to take away the nes of this story.