On the Moldovan Border, A Story That Sparked a Jewish Heart

The following story was told over about Rabbi Yechiel Shlomo Levitansky from Sumy, Ukraine on Hashgacha Pratis that took place as he fled from Ukraine.

A small story about coincidences and how everything is written in heaven.

We stopped at a remote gas station on the way from the border of Moldova – Romania towards Chisinau. Tired and in need coffee and something sweet for the soul, we finished drinking and walked towards the car and suddenly meet a nice 12-year-old boy with a big black cap on his head.

I start talking to him in Hebrew, asking him about his parents, and as I get in the car, a nice family of six come out to me and tell me an amazing story I did not believe I would hear in 2022. A story that sounds like it was taken from a script of an action movie with a happy ending. Suffice it to say that throughout this amazing story, the family remained smiling and happy.

The father of the family is a Chabad Shliach from the city of Samy, 40 km from the Russian border and 1000 km from the Moldova border, and he tells me about an amazing and scary journey that begins on Thursday morning and ends 32 hours later in Chisinau Moldova. A journey where the family traveled 32 hours non-stop, and by no means did you manage to get two hours before Shabbat to Kishinev, traveling on scary and snowy roads when there is a war going on around you, not knowing if you will reach your object district and if you can even save your family. A story that makes you think what would happen if…..and makes you think what you would do with your family, with your neighbors and friends, with all the things that are in your home. A story that illustrates to you how life can be a “roller coaster” with ups and downs and puts you in proportion to your own life and the materiality that surrounds us.

I want whomever happens to read this story to think to himself, what would he do? How would he feel? What would he pack inside the 3 suitcases he would take for escape? How he would handle a 32-hour ride with a car full of children and 3 suitcases.

The end of the story is happy. We met the rabbi and his family by chance, modest and kind people, and after the rabbi finished telling about the journey, of the difficult patches he and his family went through, the rabbi turned to me and asked me if I was interested in putting on tefillin? How much mental strength can a person have in such a complex situation but still busy thinking about the other and doing good to all around him. I put on tefillin with tears in my eyes, happy for the privilege that has fallen on my part to help others, help people who so need the kind word and warm hug.

We, as Jews and Israelis, should always remember our past and are committed to helping every person, regardless of religion, our grandparents were refugees 80 years ago and the whole world “closed doors” and we need to open our hearts and open our doors to anyone who desires it.

Thank you for the privilege I have been given to be part of a mission that does so much good for others and so many commandments.