Two months ago, the father and brother of Romi Gonen, one of the three hostages who were, b’chasdei Hashem, released from captivity on Sunday, accepted a kabbalah on themselves to begin putting on tefillin every day as a zechus for her swift release. Romi’s father, Eitan, and brother, Shachaf, had never previously put on tefillin and didn’t own a pair. They received assistance from the Shas party in Ma’alot along Rav  Ilan Abergel and Mr. Asaf Diamant, who purchased a tallis and tefillin for them and helped them put on the tefillin for the first time. As he put on the tefillin for the first time (as seen in the video below), Eitan recited Shechiyanu and commented: “What an incredible feeling…it’s moving.” He added, filled with hope: “Romi will see everything when she returns, b’ezrat Hashem.” Since that day, father and son have continued the mitzvah of putting on tefillin, while calling on the public to join in prayers for Romi’s well-being and release. After receiving the news on Sunday that Romi was slated to be released, Eitan and his wife Meital [Romi’s stepmother], recited Shechiyanu in an interview with Kan News. One week before the IDF’s miraculous rescue of Louis Har and Fernando Marman from the heart of Rafah, in February 2024, Har’s daughter and son-in-law took on kabbalos in ruchniyus – lighting neiros Shabbos and putting on tefillin, donated by the members of the Shul of Bar Harbour. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)