Congregation Shmuel Yosef VChaya

Could a telegram and a mysterious doctor save a young man’s life? Here at Congregation Shmuel Yosef VChaya, nestled within the vibrant tapestry of New York City, a tale of miraculous healing and divine intervention unfolds. This congregation, while not directly mentioned in the tale, shares its spirit of faith and community with the very heart of this story. Let’s journey back to the summer of 1951. Post-war Boro Park was a haven for refugees, including Rabbi Moshe Horowitz and his father, Rabbi Yosef Yona Zvi. They founded Yeshiva and Kahal Be’er Shmuel, a beacon of hope and Jewish education for those seeking to rebuild their lives. Among the students were two brothers from Tangier, Morocco, seeking the lost traditions of their “alte heim”. Tragedy struck when the elder Haberman boy fell gravely ill with meningitis. Rabbi Moshe, deeply invested in his students’ well-being, stayed by the boy’s bedside at Kings County Hospital, reciting Psalms and desperately seeking help. He contacted revered figures like the Lubavitcher Rebbe, seeking blessings and guidance. As the boy’s condition worsened, Rabbi Moshe, in an act of unwavering faith, added the name “Alter” to the boy’s name, praying for a miracle. In the pre-dawn hours, a seemingly religious Jewish intern appeared, tending to the boy with meticulous care. Miraculously, the boy’s fever broke, baffling the medical staff. A telegram arrived later that morning from one of the rebbes Rabbi Moshe had contacted, advising him to add the name “Alter” – a name he had already bestowed upon the boy. The Habermans rejoiced at their son’s recovery. Mrs. Haberman, upon arriving in New York, inquired about the intern who had saved her son. A chilling discovery was made: no such doctor existed in the hospital’s records. The intern was a messenger, sent in answer to Rabbi Moshe’s fervent prayers and the psalms he recited. This story, while centered around Be’er Shmuel, resonates with the spirit of faith and community found within Congregation Shmuel Yosef VChaya, reminding us of the power of prayer and the enduring strength of the human spirit.