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The previous day he’d sat with his father, the respected avreich HaGaon Rav Yehuda Leib Rubin zt”l, 27 years old from Beit Shemesh, who learned at the kollel Choshen Mishpat in Sha’arei Chessed.
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Many of us spend hours of our lives dedicated to chesed. But in moments like those witnessed on Meron this past Thursday, one man’s ahavas yisroel withstood the true test of time. Yisroel Anakava used his very last reserves of strength to save a stranger and moments later, he was horrifically crushed to death:
“We were crammed there, and we couldn’t breathe. I was next to Yisroel. He was a powerful man and he could have thrown himself over the fence. But then he saw me. And with superhuman powers, he pulled me out of the pile of death and threw me over the fence.”
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The stories that came pouring in Ruti’s direction as she sat shiva for her husband rendered her speechless. But honestly, that was her Yisroel. Always caring for others, always thinking of others. As a husband, Yisroel was always putting Ruti first. He would listen to her intently, and dedicated his life to make his wife and kids happy. The stories gave her tremendous comfort and soothed the pain of her aching loss. But when a stranger named Binyamin came in and said this, she couldn’t hold back heaving sobs anymore:
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“He loved the Torah, the Mitzvos. He was so connected to tzadikim. To R’ Shimon. But R’ Shimon took him as a sacrifice in the place he loved the most.”
The emotional words of a close relative spoken at Yisroel Anakava’s funeral several days ago left no tear unshed. Anakava, the father of a toddler and a four-month-old was only twenty-four years old when he was tragically crushed to death in the Meron tragedy. According to several witnesses, he died a hero’s death.
[COMMUNICATED]The tragedy’s terrible statistics: 60 orphans, 18 widows,approximately 600 men, women,and children are sitting shivah
After the enormity of the tragedy’s statistics was known, we came before Maran HaGaon R’ Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a to ask what our response should be; what do we need to do?
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As the heartbreaking photos of the 45 men & boys lost in Meron continue to circulate, one face stands out in the particular. That of one of the smallest boys lost in the tragedy, 14-year-old Moshe Levy. Moshe, who parents describe as an “angel,” had begged his parents for years to attend the Meron festivities. As a reward for his learning, his dream came true: He would go to Meron with his rebbi & the rebbi’s son.
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After tens of Jews were tragically trampled in the Meron disaster several days ago, the stories brought to light about one man in particular have made a remarkable impact. Shimon Matlon was the father of eight and a beloved teacher in Beitar. His friends describe him as a kind-hearted and generous man whose face would light up the room with his warm smile.
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Last night, amid the celebrations of Lag Ba’Omer in Meron, an absolute unthinkable tragedy occurred: An unstoppable stampede of people began to slip down Har Meron, crushing men young and old, and r”l children, to death. At least 44 people have died, and emergency responders say 150 are injured.
Right now a field hospital has been set up in Meron and ZAKA & Hatzolah are doing all they can to treat the wounded and gather the remains of the killed. The names of the dead & missing have not been released yet – cell phones are down and chaos is in full swing. The phones of the dead are ringing incessantly with “Mom” and “My dear wife,” as families frantically search for their loved ones.
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