The family of Romi Gonen, who was released last week from the cruel captivity of Hamas in Gaza, visited the home of the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Dov Landau, several times during the war. Rav Landau shared in their pain, davened with them, and were mechazeik them.
Mirev Leshem Gonen, Romi’s mother, also met several times with Rebbetzin Adina Landau, the Rosh Yeshiva’s wife, who also took their immense suffering to heart. Rebbetzin Landau was a constant source of chizuk, davening for Romi and the other hostages. These visits were made possible through the help of chareidi commentator Yisroel Cohen and Rav Dovid Druck of the Kissufim organization.
Rebbetzin Landau expressed about the Rosh Yeshiva that on the matter of the hostages, “His heart is always open at all times,” as she put it. She also shared that, as someone who survived the claws of the Nazis, she feels that the story of the hostages is even worse than that of the Nazis.
Last week, when Rebbetzin Landau heard the news of Romi’s release, she was overjoyed and shared that she recites the names of the hostages daily, davening for them.
This week, after Romi was discharged from the hospital, Mirev’s husband, along with Yisroel Cohen, visited Rebbetzin Landau to express their deep hakoras hatov. The Rebbetzin had asked to send a special letter of chizuk to both Romi and her mother.
In her letter, the Rebbetzin writes:
“To the honor of Mirev Leshem Gonen and her daughter Romi. Dear Romi, an immense joy has overcome us. With excitement, we received the news of the great miracle performed by the Creator in your release from the harsh captivity. All of us, the entire Jewish nation, davened for you—children, young men, young women, and mothers.
“Your incredible strength to withstand such hardship, for such a long period without seeing any light, is a testament to your inner strength and the faith within you. You were destined for a unique role to bring light and faith to those around you.
“We marveled with awe and trembling at your dear mother, Mirev, may she live, who did not lose hope—who was filled with faith that you would merit salvation.
“You, Romi, and your precious mother, still have a mission ahead of you: to publicize the nissim of Hashem and sanctify His name. May you merit to recover, you and your friends, and may you meet the other hostages, whispering in excitement, ‘Blessed be the name of Hashem.’ With blessings for an imminent salvation.”
During the visit of Mirev’s husband, he became very emotional and cried, and Rebbetzin Landau cried with him. He shared that he speaks at many places around the country, and while the secular public recognizes the hostages through the images that are constantly being published, the chareidi community knows the hostages by their names and their mothers’ names. Rebbetzin Landau’s daughter even pointed out to him the list of names of all the hostages, along with their mothers’ names, and shared how she and her daughters at school constantly daven for them.
The Rebbetzin told Mirev’s husband that it is a great miracle that Romi returned alive. Later in the conversation, he put Mirev on the phone, and she expressed her gratitude to the Rebbetzin for all the tefillos and chizuk provided to the family during their difficult time in captivity. She also wanted to thank the Rosh Yeshiva for his many tefillos.
The Rebbetzin blessed Romi with a complete recovery, both physically and spiritually, and davened that she would soon find her zivug. She repeated that this was even worse than the Nazi atrocities and that she could not remember such a tragedy. “We are also at fault – we need to daven more,” the Rebbetzin said.
At the end of the meeting, the Rebbetzin handed her letter and a Sefer Tehillim to Mirev’s husband to be given to Romi.
{Matzav.com Israel}
