Rabbi Chaim Druckman
Rabbi Chaim Druckmanscreenshot

This evening (Thursday) is the second anniversary of the death of 16-year-old Ahuvya Sandak in a police chase. In honor of the occasion, Ahuvya's family published for the first time the recording of the phone call they received from Rabbi Chaim Druckman during the week of shiva two years ago.

During the conversation Rabbi Druckman burst into tears. He began by saying that he wanted to come to console the family himself, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, he could not. "If I could I would come myself, but I'm in isolation right now and I can't come."

The rabbi comforted the family by relating the story from the Talmud about the death of the son of the sage Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakhai, "I did not know Ahuvya. but I heard that he was one of a kind. The Holy One should comfort you, and G-d willing you will have many happy occasions. Our sages say that when Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakhai's son died, his disciples tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will tell you an analogy. What is this like? A person to whom the king entrusted a package. Every day he would cry and scream and say ‘woe to me, when will I get out of this responsibility in peace?’ So you, Rabbi, you had a son. He studied the [written and oral] Torah, and he departed from this world without sin. You should accept consolation that you returned your package intact.”'

Rabbi Druckman emphasized the words "departed from this world without sin."

Rabbi Druckman added, "What can we say more than this, that the Holy One should comfort you and there should be only happy occasions?" At this point both Rabbi Druckman and Ahuvya's mother burst into tears.

Ahuvya's mother said that he son "had dreams, he wanted many families in Maoz Esther. Thank you very much for comforting us, rabbi. Ahuvya was a happy person, and we will continue to be happy and continue to build Maoz Esther."

A special commemoration will be held tonight at the Gush Etzion community center for the second anniversary of Ahuvya Snadak's death.