During World War II, Simon Hayat and his family miraculously escaped the clutches of the Nazis.
Simon lived with his family in Rabat, Morocco at the time, and they were included in the deportation lists prepared by the Nazis for deportation to concentration camps. Just before the Germans arrived in the city, Allied forces arrived and saved Simon and his family.
Since his immigration to Israel, Simon has lived with his family and children in the town of Shlomi on the northern border. When the war broke out, the town was evacuated, and Hayat was taken to the Hadassim nursing home in Beit She'an – where he stays to this day with his wife.
Simon had one dream he wished to fulfill more fervently since the beginning of the war – to visit the Western Wall with his family. Due to his medical condition and the great distance, Simon has not visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem since the days of the Second Lebanon War in 2006 – about 18 years ago.
The Ezer Mizion Association stepped in to help fulfill Simon's dream. The nursing department, along with the patient transportation and mobility department, brought Simon and his wife in a special ambulance from Beit She'an to the Western Wall plaza.
Simon's extended family, who were also evacuated from northern towns, also came to the Western Wall and gathered together to fulfill Simon's wish. Simon was able to touch the stones of the Western Wall and pray, with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation also participating in organizing the emotional meeting.
Hayat concluded with great excitement: "Since the Second Lebanon War, I have not had the opportunity to come and pray at the Western Wall. This year, as we are out of our homes – I finally had the chance to come to the Wall and pray for the people of Israel during these difficult days. I also finally got to meet my extended family, who have been scattered throughout the country since the beginning of the war."
"We managed to defeat Hitler and the Nazi evil – we will also manage to defeat the evil of Sinwar and Hamas together. Being here today is part of our great victory."
Naomi Mizrachi, manager of the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the Ezer Mizion association, stated "Each wish fulfilled for a Holocaust survivor is a world unto itself. We see the happiness and joy on their faces when we arrive on-site and the impact that follows. After long days and years of being confined within the institute, they get moments of grace and comfort in their last years as we constantly work to fulfill more and more wishes for the Holocaust survivors living among us. This is a kindness we owe them."