Community Gathers to Celebrate Girls’ Safe Return

Last night, the North Miami Beach community gathered together in Bais Menachem to partake in a Se’udas Hoda’ah, thanking Hashem for the miraculous return of two teenaged girls who were lost overnight in the woods near Orlando.

The gathering was also in honor of Beis Nissan, the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe Rashab.

Rabbi Yosef Marlow expounded on the true power and uniqueness of a community that comes together, and pointed to the immediate outburst of response: from a midnight tehillim gathering that brought a turnout of over 30 women within five minutes of the email being sent out, to community members literally dropping everything to travel four hours north to search for the girls and be there to support and assist the family.  He was followed by guest speaker Rabbi Zalman L. Markowitz, who inspired the crowd with words of wisdom.

The fathers of both girls thanked all present for their quick action and willingness to assist immediately, both in tefilah and going up to the site to help out. “Everyone’s quick action really made us feel like we are part of a broader family,” said one of the fathers.

A community member who immediately rushed up to Orlando spoke about the impression this ordeal had on the local police force. He quoted one officer who said, “If I were to go missing tomorrow, even with all of my connections with police officials, I would not have this support or presence.”