An unexpected outcome

For Rebekah’s bat mitzvah, she opted to devote herself to a project based around Yad Vashem’s Twinning program. Through Yad Vashem, she was matched with a young girl who died during the holocaust and did not have a bat mitzvah of her own, in order to honor her.

Here are the details of her match and project, which Rebekah posted to a website we created:

https://www.eventcreate.com/e/rivkahneshama

This, in and of itself was a beautiful thing to do, but what happened on the day of Rebekah’s bat mitzvah celebration was unbelievable. Unknown to Rebekah and myself, our Rabbi, Uri Topolosky, had contacted the family of Rebekah’s match, Rivkah Low, who live here in the U.S. 

The day of the bat mitzvah, of course, Rebekah davened and leyned beautifully. Afterwards, Rebekah gave a speech and our rabbi traditionally gives the b’nei mitzvot a gift on behalf of the congregation. In this moment, however, he informed us of a surprise he had in store.

He told us how he not only reached out to Rivkah Low’s cousin but he had talked extensively with him. The cousin, Herb, was informed that Rebekah would be honoring Rivkah with her project and dedicating the day to her.  Herb was so moved and told his entire family about Rebekah, enabling generations of Rivkah Low’s cousins to participate.

In addition, Herb had sent to the rabbi a gift of a beautiful siddur, inscribed with Rebekah’s hebrew names. He also sent a card and a letter full of family pictures and information. Herb, who had submitted the information to Yad Vashem decades ago, told our Rabbi, he wondered what the submission would do - meaning his cousins and aunt and uncle were still gone. And now, here, this young lady, my Rebekah, comes along and honors his cousin with her project of candle lighting and tzedekah in Rivkah’s honor. 

May Rivkah, OBM, along with her parents, her sisters and her brother, may their memories continue to be for a Blessing.

May we all continue to celebrate life together and find connections despite any differences. May we continue to find ways to shine light in the face of darkness.