The condition of Menasheh Kalifa, a religious Jerusalemite who tried to rescue three-year-old Racheli Sofer from a noxious pit, improved slightly in Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center on Monday. He remains in critical condition, however, and is still on a ventilator.
Last Thursday, the little girl was playing in a park in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Eshkol when she fell into a four meter pit filled with garbage and noxious gases. Her family had made aliya to Israel from the U.S. only two weeks ago.
Sofer’s babysitter immediately saw what had happened and called out for help. Kalifa, who was passing by, jumped into the pit and managed to heave the small girl out before collapsing.
Paramedics who arrived on the scene tried to revive the small child, but were forced to pronounce her dead on the scene. They extracted the unconscious Kalifa from the pit and managed to bring back his pulse, after which they raced him to the hospital in critical condition.
The Medical Center has given Kalifa special attention and praised him for his bravery. His wife says such an act of courage was natural for Kalifa, whose Hebrew name (for prayers) is Menashe ben Tipacha Shulamit. His family says they are hoping for a miracle and a quick recovery. Doctors do not yet know whether the prolonged lack of oxygen has caused permanent brain damage.