When the owner arrived to the office he looked worried and concerned that perhaps his precious goods were taken and that the bag would be empty.Blown away by this exemplary display of honesty he offered a reward, but the Jewish man politely declined. The young man opened to bag in an effort to identify the […]
When the owner arrived to the office he looked worried and concerned that perhaps his precious goods were taken and that the bag would be empty.Blown away by this exemplary display of honesty he offered a reward, but the Jewish man politely declined.
The young man opened to bag in an effort to identify the true owner of the bag so he could return it.
Shmirah investigated the matter and finally found a number that led them to the owner of the bag, a Spanish-speaking man who works in the New York Diamond District.
One man’s diamonds and cash were returned that day, and even more importantly one Jew’s morally refined behavior made an impact and was even broadcasted on the local news, casting Jews in a positive light.
One good way to combat the antisemitic rhetoric spewing forth is by sharing true stories that portray Jews in a positive light, especially when it comes to money.
Through one positive story at a time, we can slowly change the face of antisemitism.
He called his mother who advised him to call Shmirah, a Jewish public safety organization whose mission is to help others, staffed by volunteers.
They called the man and asked him to come to the Brooklyn Shmirah office in order to retrieve his bag.
Jews are God’s walking billboards.
He was shocked to discover that the bag was full of diamonds, Rolex watches and cash – over 0,000 worth of jewelry and cash!
When he opened the bag, he couldn’t believe that not a single dollar or diamond was taken. His entire face lit up.
Last week a young Hasidic Jewish exchange student was at Newark airport when a random taxi driver handed him a backpack, accidentally thinking it belonged to him. Before the man had time to respond and explain that it wasn’t his, the driver sped off.
The 20-year-old Jewish student explained, “This is just what we do.” For him, this behavior wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.
This story is an example of the lofty Jewish principle called Kiddush Hashem, sanctify Hashem’s Name. Jews are charged with the mission to be a light onto nations. We are God’s ambassadors in the world. When the actions of a Jew impress others as being a paradigm of ethics and commendable behavior, he serves to bring God’s light into the world. (The opposite – Hillul Hashem, desecrating God’s name – is also true.)
