He Had a 10% Chance to Live, Now He’s Planning His Wedding

Kiryat Arba resident Meir Pavlovsky, 31, was sitting quietly next to the Hazon David synagogue in his hometown. He was studying Torah when a terrorist appeared out of nowhere and brutally stabbed him in the stomach.

As the terrorist fled, he stabbed Meir in the back as well.

Though severely wounded, Meir was able to get himself to a nearby IDF position, and from there he was transferred to the hospital.

When he arrived, the doctors gave him a 10% chance of living, so brutal were the wounds that had been inflicted on him. The terrorist, who was just a teenager, fled toward Hebron and has not yet been apprehended.

Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP) immediately went to the hospital to be with Meir. He is alone in Israel, his parents still living in Ukraine.

“We became his family, visiting him numerous times during his ten-day stay in the hospital, including bringing him a young visitor from Vienna, Simon, who did not let the terror in Israel prevent him from coming there to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah. He spent much time visiting many victims of terror including Meir,” said CTVP coordinator Yossi Swerdlow.

While hospitalized, CTVP helped Meir put on tefillin and brought him numerous gifts – and they brought him continual comfort, support and hope as he struggled to recover from the wounds inflicted on him by a 10-inch long knife.

When the attack took place, Meir had been planning to become engaged, so as soon as he was released from the hospital, CTVP took him to buy new clothes and provided help and support to him and his Kallah (fiancée) as they began to plan for their wedding.  Meir also took time to visit ‘the Rebbe’s room’ in 770 of Kfar Chabad to pray and offer thanks.

“This young couple is now well on their way to becoming married and CTVP will be there with them every step of the way on their journey,” said Swerdlow.