Michal Asulin, mother of Hodaya Nechama Asulin, critically injured in the attack near Binyanei Ha'uma in Jerusalem six-and-a-half years ago who died this week of her wounds, tells about the years since her daughter's injury in an interview to Arutz Sheva.
"The experience we went through with her elevated us and raised us to heights we had not been at before, and all thanks to her. People near and far reached new levels of faith and prayer," says Michal."Every Saturday the Kabbalat Shabbat service was held with her friends and the girls of the Ulpanah Tehila school in Jerusalem who were her classmates at the time of the attack organized prayers and all kinds of special vigils for her recovery. Of course our whole community accompanied us and prayed with us for her to get well. The girls at the Ulpana distributed candies with blessings, held evenings for spiritual awakening and strengthening faith, and Shabbat dinners were not conducted without her."
Michal was convinced that Hodaya understood what was happening around her even though she was apparently unconscious, "After the attack, the doctor explained to us that we have a new Hodaya, and we really did have a first Hodaya who was born 21 years ago, our eldest daughter who turned us into parents, so we called her Hodaya - 'Thanksgiving' - and then the new Hodaya who was 'born' after the attack. We got to know her like one gets to know a newborn baby.She would respond a little with her eyes with all kinds of subtle messages and also little sounds.She would move her hands a little, especially when we touched her.Over the years, she underwent complicated operations, but she always fought and overcame and even progressed."
The mother feels that the family and the people of Israel have lost a great soul: "We lost our eldest daughter, but also a great soul, and I hope that she will pray for us from above and bring us closer to redemption and to the coming of the Messiah because we are sorely in need of it."