Holding Steadfast

“During the first years that I lived in Sydney, Australia,” related Rabbi Chaim Gutnick, “I was contacted by the Jewish community in Adelaide. The high holidays were approaching, and their shul had no Rabbi. The Chief Rabbi of Sydney sent them to me, but I could not see leaving my wife and four young children alone for the holidays.

“The Shul committee asked the Chief Rabbi what to do. 'Listen,' he told them, 'Rabbi Gutnick is a Lubavitcher. Write a letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe stating that you need a Rabbi for the High Holidays. If the Rebbe tells Rabbi Gutnick to go, he will.'

“I soon received a special delivery letter from the Rebbe, expressing surprise that I did not consent, and advising me to spend the High Holidays in Adelaide. At the bottom of the letter, the Rebbe added, ‘While in Adelaide, concern yourself with the needs of Egyptian Jews living there.’

“I arrived in Adelaide the day before Rosh HaShanah and went to the shul. As I was surveying the sanctuary, a woman entered and asked me, ‘Where is the most sacred part of the synagogue?’ I was surprised by her question. I pointed to the Aron HaKodesh ('holy ark' containing the Torah scrolls).

“Before I could say another word, she rushed out, led a blind teenage girl straight to the Aron HaKodesh, and then departed. The girl kissed the curtains of the ark and burst out in tears. She remained there for several minutes; after which the woman came back and escorted her out.

“I described the entire baffling scene to the shul secretary. ‘Don’t give it another thought,’ the secretary said. She’s one of the Egyptians. They don’t get along with our community. Her parents don’t even come to shul on Rosh HaShanah, so she probably decided to visit before the holiday.’

“I tried to ignore the secretary’s degrading tone. All I could think of was the Rebbe’s words ‘concern yourself with the Egyptian Jews.’ I rushed out to find the girl, but she had disappeared.

“On Rosh HaShanah, I felt the gulf between the local community and the Egyptian Jews. I tried to befriend some Egyptian Jews, and asked about the blind girl.

After the holiday, she too tried to contact me. The phone in my room rang. ‘Hello, I’m Betty, the blind girl.’ But an abrupt click assured me that someone was determined to keep her from speaking to me.

“On the night before Yom Kippur, I was finally able to obtain her address and phone number. My calls were fruitless, for as soon as I identified myself, the line went dead. I would not give up. Despite the late hour, I took a taxi to her home. Her family was reluctant to allow me in. ‘Please,’ I said, ‘I have traveled a great distance, and I would like to speak with you.’

“The door opened, and I was invited to enter. Slowly, I developed their trust. After a while, the rest of the family left, and I gently asked Betty to tell me what was troubling her. In an emotional tone, she told her story:

“ ‘My family arrived in Australia last year. They sent me to the only school in this city for the blind, a Catholic school. The people in the school are very nice, and my parents were pleased, because I had been given a full scholarship. After five months, the local priest began lecturing me about Christianity. I ignored him until he told me bluntly that I must convert. At the same time, my parents received a letter from the school: Due to lack of space in our school, we are forced to turn away prospective students of our own faith. We will agree to provide free schooling for your daughter only if she converts to Christianity.

“ ‘One day, I overheard my agitated parents discuss the issue. They had reconciled themselves to the harsh reality that I must convert.

“ ‘Although I know very little about our religion, I know that I am Jewish. I know that there is a G‑d and I decided to pray to Him for guidance. I also knew that the Jewish holy days were approaching. On the day before Rosh HaShanah, I told my mother that I did not feel well and could not go to school. When I was alone in the house, I knocked on the door of my Gentile neighbor.

“ ‘Tomorrow is the Jewish New Year,’ I told her. ‘My parents do not attend the synagogue so I would like to ask you a favor. Please take me to the synagogue today so I can pray. I will only stay for a few minutes.’ My neighbor agreed. In the synagogue, I cried and prayed to G‑d to give me a sign. I returned home and waited.

“ ‘Guests joined us for the holiday dinner. One of them laughed at me: "Betty! What have you been up to lately? A Rabbi from Sydney came to Adelaide and he is asking about you. How do you know him?"

“ ‘I knew this was a G‑d-given sign to me. I tried to call you, but my mother didn’t allow it. She was afraid that you would convince me not to convert and that I would have to leave school. But somehow, I knew that you would help me.’

“The girl’s parents then came in and tearfully and told me, ‘We really don’t want her to convert, but we have no choice. We are concerned about her welfare.’ I promised to do my best to help them.

“The Rebbe’s words echoed in my ears as I pondered what to do. I phoned the secretary of the Jewish community, told him the story, and asked him to come immediately.

“He was obviously startled by my request. 'Have you gone mad?' he gasped. 'It’s half past midnight!'

“ 'If you want a Rabbi for Yom Kippur, come here now,' I told him. 'Come in your pajamas if you must, but come.'

“He arrived in twenty minutes. I told him that the community must accept the responsibility for the girl’s tuition so that she would not be forced to convert. Without enthusiasm, yet with sincerity, he made the financial commitment.

“The girl continued writing to me over the years. She graduated high school with honors, went on to study in Jerusalem, married, and now leads an exemplary Jewish life in Israel.”