Mi K'Amcha Yisrael

Posted: Sun, Jul 26 2009, 3:56 pm Post subject: Mi K'Amcha Yisrael

It's easy to see the bad. Evil makes a racquet.
But when all is said and done, we are a pretty amazing people! And I have proof. Hashem himself wears tefillin with the possuk, "mi k'amcha yisrael."
So without digging too hard, here are some beautiful stories about klal yisrael that come to mind.

1) A man I know, Rabbi K. is very involved in Russian kiruv. He heard that an old family-less Russian man was niftar. Rabbi K. undertook the task of giving this man a kevuaras yisrael. He laid out the money for the burial, although he himself is poverty stricken. He saw no way of funding even a most basic headstone, so he put an ad in a Yiddish newspaper, describing the situation and asking for donations. A 30 year old Satmar chossid, who had no relation to the niftar, or to the niftar's community, called the day the newspaper came to print. He gave Rabbi K. the full $10,000 he needed.

2) When R' Reuven Schwab zt"l was in his eighties, a talmid saw him in the military cemetary near Monsey, crouching and picking up papers. The talmid ran to help at the sight of his aged Rav bending to pick up litter. R' Schwab explained, "Tomorrow is Memorial Day. Family of the fallen soldiers will be coming. What willl they think if the cemetary so close to a Jewish community is not kept clean?" And so the octogenarian bent down to pick up another wrapper, this time with the aid of his talmid.

3) A chossid told dh this story just yesterday. This chossid's wife, a"h, used to visit Hadassah to cheer up the patients. She once visited an old woman who was full of joy.
Chossid's wife was surprised to learn that this woman had lost her husband a few years ago and had no children. So she asked her she could remain so happy.
The old woman said, (sounds much more charming in Yiddish) "How could I not be happy? Today I was granted another day to praise Hashem. At the very least I could return to him, when my time is up, a happy neshama."

4) My sister in law recently moved to Israel. She made a massive food order in a supermarket, just after she arrived. Her order was delivered to the wrong building. For several hours, the woman who got the delivery at her apt. door tried to trace down where the order was supposed to go. She finally contacted sil, and bil came to pick it up. Because sil did not have her ingredients much of the day, the woman sent her supper.

5) (Reb. Rina Tarshish said this story. She was saying how games reflect the culture of the society that plays them. As an example, she spoke about Monopoly. Monopoly symbolizes America, the moment you are bankrupt, you're off the board. Success is monetary.)
The story:
A group of kids in Israel started a game of monopoly with neighbors. After a few hours, the neighbors had to go home. They waved each other off and promised to continue the game the next day. The father of the kids wondered how the game could last so long, but said nothing. The next day, true to their word, the kids continued the game for several hours. When they left, they again decided to keep the board and continue the next day. The next day, the father couldn't understand how they were still playing one round of monopoly. Someone had to go bankrupt, some kids should have been out. He went into the room and demanded an explanation. "How could it be that not a single person went bankrupt yet? You're playing for the third day already."
His son said, "Abba, you don't understand. Every time someone becomes bankrupt, they borrow from the gema"ch."

6) A friend told me that she knew a girl who needed a rare medical procedure. The procedure was best done in a small city in Texas. The family got in touch with the Jewish community in that city, and they offered to help. A Texan young woman volunteered to pick up the family from the airport. This young woman and her community didn't know much about yiddishkeit. She knew that religious Jews were careful to cover up. So she looked through her wardrobe, and found one thing that she knew would be appropriate, a turtleneck sweater. She wore that when she went to pick up the family, in middle of August, in Texas.

7) I got a smile at the Misrad Hapnim today!!

Please add your story about an individual, group, or the entire klal yisrael.
Every parent loves the person who praises his/her children. We're only getting more divine protection (and take it from me, we need it!) when we sing Israel's praise.

Posted: Sun, Jul 26 2009, 4:05 pm Post subject: re: Mi K'Amcha Yisrael

Thank you for sharing!!!

(I do think this should be moved to "inspirational" though, as it has nothing to do with halacha...)
_________________
�All that is thought should not be said. All that is said should not be written. All that is written should not be published. All that is published should not be read.�
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

Posted: Sun, Jul 26 2009, 4:15 pm Post subject: re: Mi K'Amcha Yisrael

You're right, CM. I posted it here by mistake. Do you know how to move this thread?
I'm sure you have a story, Chossid Mom. Why don't you share?

Posted: Sun, Jul 26 2009, 4:32 pm Post subject: re: Mi K'Amcha Yisrael

My brain is fried right now.

I just got back from the annual Chofetz Chaim Heritage 9 days event where they showed the video presentation with Rabbi Frand. He was totally amazing. And so was Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz. I am too tired to even write what they said...

Posted: Sat, May 05 2012, 6:51 pm Post subject: re: Mi K'Amcha Yisrael

I love this thread!!
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"You will have many many children and make successful shidduchim beh", rebbetzin Esther Jungreis
"It's all cultural, disagree respectfully", me

Posted: Sun, May 06 2012, 12:11 am Post subject: re: Mi K'Amcha Yisrael

my son lost an SD card walking to /from school. About 10 days later we got it back because someone toook his time to look through the pictures, inlarge the one taken outside close to street corner, map it and take the chance to come knocking on strangers' doors to do hashavas aveida.