By Shoshana Weintraub
“He said to me, ‘The day you leave is the day you will die.’”
Rachel came from a broken Jewish family. Her parents had a messy divorce, and by the time she was seven years old, they had both abandoned her and she was living in an orphanage.
Years later, Rachel was married to an Arab man. She was trapped, a hostage in her own home. There was no one to turn to, no one to help her, no one to save her. She was beaten, stabbed, and threatened with murder—until Yad L’Achim rescued her.
Rachel’s story is unlike any you have ever heard, and now women in the tri-state area have the opportunity to hear it live, in person, as she is coming to America for the first time. Beginning Sunday, September 11, Rachel will be speaking for seven nights in seven cities (see details below or at YadLachimTour.com). Her tale of triumph over darkness and evil is transformational.
Unfortunately, Rachel is one of many Jewish women trapped in Arab villages. These young Jewish girls, often from troubled backgrounds, are groomed by Arab men, who may be posing as Jews. They offer the girls gifts and attention, which soon turns to terror. Women in these marriages are routinely subjected to depraved violence and abuse. The years pass, and their children are raised as Arab Muslims and taught to hate Jews.
“It is almost impossible for a Westerner to imagine how totally trapped these women are,” says Rabbi Yossi Eliav, Yad L’Achim’s director of special projects and the organizer of Rachel’s speaking tour. “Some of them live like prisoners, without the freedom to even go outside.”
“One woman did not have access to a phone for 32 years, so she had no way to call for help,” says R’ Nesanel Gantz, director of Yad L’Achim in America.
Yad L’Achim, founded in 1950, has rescued thousands of imprisoned women and their children. The operations are conducted with the utmost secrecy, as the lives of the women, their children, and all operatives are at high risk.
Once a rescue is complete, Yad L’Achim provides safe shelter for the women and their children and supports their reintegration into society. Thousands more Jewish women and children are still trapped in these conditions today.
Rachel’s story is truly unlike any you have heard before. In fact, when she shared it on a Zoom call with the Yad L’Achim staff in America in preparation for the live events, everyone was brought to tears. The events will also feature an incredible video of a rescue as well as a surprise guest. You will be inspired, amazed, and uplifted—don’t miss it.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or reserved in advance: visit YadLachimTour.com or call 718-633-0776. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. on all nights.
Event locations:
Flatbush: Sunday, September 11 at Yad Yosef, 1036 Ocean Pkwy.
Five Towns/Far Rockaway: Monday, September 12 at TAG, 444 Beach 6th St.
Lakewood: Tuesday, September 13 at Tashbar of Lakewood, 82 Oak St.
Boro Park: Wednesday, September 14 at Bais Yaakov High School, 4420 15th Ave.
Crown Heights: Thursday, September 15 at Jewish Children’s Museum, 792 Eastern Pkwy.
Monsey: Sunday, September 18 at The Atrium Ballroom, 401 NY-59
Lakewood 2: Monday, September 19 at Tashbar of Lakewood, 82 Oak St.
For more information and for sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rabbi Yossi Eliav at yossi@yadlachim.org or call 646-860-9165
