2 Letters From a Bais Yaakov Girl: Re Davening for Hostages

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

What follows is a remarkable story.  It is a story – or rather a glimpse into the heart and soul of a young Bais Yaakov student whose emunah and bitachon guided her through one of the most painful periods in recent Jewish history. Following the devastating Hamas yimach shmam attacks on Simchas Torah 5784 (October 7, 2023), this ninth-grader embraced the charactistic sign of our people – Tefillah.  It began at a vort for one of her Bais Yaakov teachers.  At her teacher’s simcha, the teacher provided a glass bowl with names to daven for. 

This young woman, K.F,, transformed the mitzvah of Tefillah from what some would look at as an abstract obligation into a deeply personal relationship. She didn’t merely recite Tehillim (Psalms) for the hostages as a group—she formed a spiritual bond with one hostage in particular: Sasha Alexander ben Yalena. Through brachos, tefillos, and personal kabbalos, she created a connection that transcended physical distance.

The first letter, written during Sasha’s captivity, reveals  unwavering emunah  even as months passed without his release. The second letter, written after Sasha’s liberation, demonstrates hakaras hatov (gratitude) to Hashem for answering her tefilos and reveals the hashgacha pratis in the timing of his release coinciding with her Hebrew birthday.

These letters inspire.  Tefilah matters. Ideas at a vort – matter.  Ninth grade girls matter. We see the future of Klal Yisroel in these two pages and we see from whence the ge’ulah will b’ezras Hashem emerge.  Bimhairah b’yameinu amain!

Rabbi Yair Hoffman  [email protected]

PS This should be required reading in every Bais Yaakov and Meisvta

K.F.

October 10, 2024

My Hostage

The date was Chaf Gimmel Tishrei. It was Simchas Torah. On a day meant for joy and dance, news of horror and tragedy reached our ears. How many killed? How many were taken hostage? Wait, hostages? It all sounded like an over-exaggerated rumor to me. Hostages were for novels, not real life. Soon, Yom Tov was over. How I wished the extent of the tragedy was just like the rumors. Oh, but there were so many more. Thousands were killed, hundreds were taken hostage, and my homeland was at war.

November 15^th. Just a few weeks after the massacre. Eretz Yisrael had been at war for weeks with no end in sight. It was also my teacher’s vort. Unable to forget what was going on, there was a little gold bowl by the exit that said to take the name of a hostage to daven for. That was all the inspiration I needed to get my own. How I cried, and how I davened for all of the hostages, but Sasha Alexander Ben Yalena… he was mine. Sasha was my hostage.

            November 30^th. A deal? Hostages released? My eyes scanned the names over and over again, willing, hoping that Sasha would be on the list. Throughout those past two weeks, I formed such a bond with my brother that I never met. Brachos, Tehillim, Tefillos, Kabalos, all for him. I knew he was a loving, sweet man in his twenties, practically the same age as my siblings. Why? He needed to get out of Gaza. Unfortunately, though, his name was not to be found. Of course, I was so happy for the other hostages and their families, I davened for them too, but Sasha Alexander Troufanov, he needed to get out. He was mine!

All too soon, it was Tisha B’Av. The one-year anniversary of that awful day was nearing closer, and Sasha Alexander was still in captivity. At every rescue and release, my hopeful eyes scanned the lists for his name and then filled with tears when it wasn’t there. At every death, my eyes scanned the paper tentatively for him and breathed a sigh of relief when it was nowhere to be found. Every hostage’s death was a stab in my heart, but Sasha was part of me. If he died??? No, he couldn’t, he wouldn’t. My hope soared when a video on Tisha B’Av was about him. I couldn’t stop wondering, is that Hashem’s sign that he is alive?  That maybe he will be home soon? My heart swelled, maybe my hostage would be released and rescued. Yes, by now there was absolutely no doubt about it. Sasha Alexander was my hostage.

It has now been a year. My bursts of hope have slowly begun to fade. I have tried every zechus for him, yet nothing seems to work. I wonder, perhaps it’s not enough that it’s my hostage sitting in a tunnel in Gaza. No, Hashem, it’s probably not enough! Sasha Alexander ben Yalena, he’s my hostage, but more than that, Hashem, he’s Your hostage, and You’re the only one who can bring him home! I am waiting, Hashem. I am trying to wait patiently for you to bring my hostage home, and I know you will because after all, he is Your hostage too.

K.F.

2/17/25

Letter To Sasha

Dear Sasha,

I remember the day I started davening for you. I’m that type of person that does something all the way, so I did a bit of research and tried to get to know you the most that I could. I can’t describe the spiritual connection I felt with you as I did Mitzvah after Mitzvah in your zechus. Whenever someone would mention October 7^th, my heart would turn to you. Three times a day as I stood before our creator, my thoughts would turn to you, begging and pleading that Hashem should bring you home. When we had to write about the Massacre, I would write about you. This is all now over. As we beg and cry for all the remaining hostages to come home, I have hope in my prayers. Hashem has accepted my pleas, and He will continue to do so. After every Shabbos, I would check the news, eagerly awaiting to see who would finally return to their families this time, and as I read the names overjoyed, I waited for your name to appear. Finally, it did.

You were released on Shabbos, Yud Zayin Shevat. I found out about your release on Motzei Shabbos, Yud Ches Shevat, my Hebrew birthday. As I screeched and danced, overflowing with happiness, I knew it was no coincidence…Hashem had given me the best birthday present ever.

May Hashem show you all his good, and may all the hostages be released very, very soon,

K.F.