While navigating the complexities of international travel, a group of Jewish students in Jerusalem found themselves with an unexpected and unfamiliar backpack, one that none of them recognized as their own.
Luckily, these students are committed to performing good deeds, or mitzvahs, as an integral part of their everyday routines.
After returning to Brooklyn for the Yomim Tovim, an exchange student—who wishes to remain unnamed—had no idea that a lost bag, and the ensuing attention, would find him at Newark Airport.
A New York automotive technology competition had recently seen local students participate.
While unloading luggage, a cab driver mistakenly handed over a backpack that had been left behind.
“The yellow cab comes back, opens the window, says, ‘Someone left this,’ hands it over to me, and drives away,” the 20-year-old student recalled.
Before he could explain that the bag wasn’t his, the cab sped off, leaving him stunned as he opened it in an attempt to locate its rightful owner.
“First, I saw a laptop,” he said. “Then I started opening other areas and seeing jewelry.”
“I was shocked,” he added. “It looked like expensive stuff.”
Upon closer inspection, he discovered a custom diamond-encrusted pendant, Rolex watches, loose diamonds, other pieces of jewelry, and cash—altogether valued at more than $100,000.
He immediately reached out to his mother, who suggested he contact Shmira, a local Brooklyn public safety group. Shmira’s volunteers took the bag and began looking into the situation. “This is what we do,” said Levi Leifer, Director of the Shmira chapter. “This is our mission, our 24/7.”
After some investigation, the group found a phone number that led them to the owner, who confirmed his connection to the bag and told PIX11 he works in the Diamond District of New York City. However, he declined to provide further details.
“Was he a distributor? A wholesaler? A customer? I’m sure, with time, we’ll get more clarity on the story itself,” Leifer commented.
Once ownership was confirmed, Shmira invited the overjoyed owner to their Borough Park office. “While he’s talking, we see fear, assuming the bag is empty,” Leifer said. “But when he opened it, he couldn’t believe it. You had to see his eyes.”
“He was very, very excited—looked very happy.”
Impressed by the students’ integrity, the owner offered a reward, but they politely turned it down.
{Matzav.com}The post KIDDUSH HASHEM: Student Returns Lost Backpack Filled With Luxury Jewelry and Diamonds first appeared on Matzav.com.