Για να το διαβάσετε στα Ελληνικά, κάντε κλικ εδώ
All is well that ends well… Yesterday (Shabbat) at noon, Yair, a 34-year old Israeli on the autistic spectrum got lost in central Athens, at the junction of Ermou and Aiolou St. We quickly joined the relatives in patrolling in the streets in the area. The Athenian police and the Israeli embassy were notified. Alert notifications were posted in social media and news channels and more volunteers joined the search: Israelis living and working in Greece, the staff of the Israeli embassy, travelers, members of the Athens Jewish community, Greek friends and neighbors. A WhatsApp group of people searching for him was created.
In the evening, a crisis center was opened at the Chabad House, with the help of the Israeli consul Lilian Haim, Israeli embassy staff members, and the professional assistance of Gil Fein, from the Magnus Search and Rescue company. Family members of Yair flew in from Israel to join the search. All the volunteers gathered to receive detailed instructions and organize the search efforts in a more systematic way. Thank G-d, after hours of a thorough search, the good news came in: 2 Israeli volunteers found Yair near Syntagma Square on Amalias St. He was in good physical condition but very thirsty, hungry and exhausted after so many hours of wandering in the streets.
Words cannot describe the joy and excitement not only of the family but of all the team of volunteers.
It was amazing and heartwarming to see how many people put their plans on hold and joined the search, walking the streets of Athens for hours in order to find Yair, making the statement of “Vehavta lereacha kamocha” “Love your fellow as yourself”, not just a slogan but a way of life. It was amazing and heartwarming to see the Jewish unity and solidarity in action.
It was also great to see how social media can be used for good and positive things. We often hear about the challenges and issues of social media but the truth, as the Rebbe taught us, is that everything in the world is a tool that can be used for good or for evil. This was a shining example of how social media can be used to get people together to save another person.
Thanks again to all the volunteers; travelers, locals, embassy workers, Israelis, Greeks, that spent hours in searching and caring for someone they did not even know before. We feel thankful that the Chabad House was part of such a wonderful story of Jewish unity and solidarity.
May we always share good and happy news.
Rabbi Mendel and Nehama Hendel