{"id":1684,"date":"2021-04-15T19:22:58","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T19:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/?page_id=1684"},"modified":"2021-04-15T19:27:48","modified_gmt":"2021-04-15T19:27:48","slug":"beit-naomi-saving-the-lives-of-jewish-girls","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/?page_id=1684","title":{"rendered":"BEIT NAOMI \u2013 SAVING THE LIVES OF JEWISH GIRLS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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BEIT NAOMI \u2013 SAVING THE LIVES OF JEWISH GIRLS<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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By: Rabbi Eli Haber<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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It all began on a wintry Friday night in 2005, on Hakablan St. in Jerusalem\u2019s Har Nof neighborhood. Prayers had ended at the synagogue of HaGaon Hacham Ovadia Yosef,\u00a0shelit\u201da<\/em>, and the hacham and all the congregants had already gone home. As the sage\u2019s faithful\u00a0gabbai<\/em>, Rabbi Yair Nahari, was about to lock the synagogue, a young woman, about 18 years old, walked in and asked to speak with Hacham Ovadia. Rabbi Nahari explained that the hacham had already gone home and was eating the Shabbat meal with his family.<\/strong><\/p>

Rabbi Nahari asked her why she so urgently needed to speak to the great sage, and she said simply, \u201cI can\u2019t tell you. It\u2019s very personal.\u201d He tried to reason with her, but the girl would not budge. Rabbi Nahari had been Hacham Ovadia\u2019s\u00a0gabbai\u00a0<\/em>for close to 20 years, and he had never experienced anything like this before.<\/p>

Realizing that he had to do something, Rabbi Nahari asked the girl to wait and went to speak with Rabbanit Yehudit Yosef, Hacham Ovadia\u2019s daughter-in-law. The rabbanit came downstairs and spoke with the young lady for a few minutes, and then returned to the\u00a0gabbai<\/em>\u00a0and said, \u201cThis is a very serious situation. We need to take her to the rabbi.\u201d She brought the girl straight up to Hacham Ovadia\u2019s apartment.<\/p>

As soon as she saw the hacham, she fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably and grabbing at his coat. The hacham listened to her for a few moments, gave her a blessing, and escorted her out of the room, crying together with her.<\/p>

Hacham Ovadia then approached Rabbi Nahari, with tears in his eyes and his voice breaking with emotion, and implored him to find the girl a family to stay with for Shabbat. \u201cWe must help her\u2026\u201d he said. The next morning in the synagogue, the rabbi went over to Rabbi Nahari, again with tears in his eyes, and asked about the girl. Did they find her a place to stay? Was she alright?<\/p>

After Shabbat, Rabbi Nahari arranged for a social worker to meet with the girl and make sure that her problem (to this day, he doesn\u2019t know what it was) was being handled professionally. But Hacham Ovadia\u2019s tears continued to haunt him.<\/p>

\u201cNobody Wanted to Get Involved\u201d<\/p>

Several years later, Rabbi Nahari was sitting at a Shabbat table with his brother, Knesset Member Meshulam Nahari, discussing the problem of girls from religious families who run away from home and wind up on the street. Meshulam noted that whereas boys in such situations have places to go, such as special\u00a0yeshivot<\/em>\u00a0and other frameworks designed to help them, there was no parallel framework for troubled girls. Their options were either entering a state-run institution (which would usually be co-ed and not under religious auspices) or living on the streets.<\/p>

\u201cWith girls, it is much more complicated,\u201d Rabbi Nahari explains, recalling how at the time, \u201cnobody wanted to get involved.\u201d But then he remembered Hacham Ovadia\u2019s tears. \u201cI have to do something,\u201d he said to himself.<\/p>

In 2009, Beit Naomi (named for Yair and Meshulam Nahari\u2019s late mother) opened its doors. Located on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Beit Naomi is literally a home \u2013 a warm, caring, loving environment for 16 girls at any given time. All the young women \u2013 generally between the ages of 15-18 \u2013 have left their homes and have been living on the streets. It provides the girls with a Shabbat-observant place to live, warm meals, Torah classes, clubs and workshops. The house is run by a full-time female director and a professional staff including a psychologist, educational consultant, social worker and counselors. Together, they help the girls improve their self-esteem, return to educational frameworks and succeed in their studies.<\/p>

From the Police Station to the Hupa<\/p>

Rahel*, a girl from one of Jerusalem\u2019s well-known haredi families, saw her life begin falling apart when her father left, moved to Europe and married a non-Jewish woman. Her mother was left alone to care for Rahel and her two younger brothers, and was broken emotionally. The burden fell on young Rahel\u2019s shoulders, and she couldn\u2019t take it, either. She turned to the streets, sleeping in warehouses and on park benches.<\/p>

One night she returned home after having too much to drink. Her mother refused to allow her into the house. Rahel continued knocking on the door noisily, until her mother called the police, who came and arrested Rahel for disturbing the peace. The police brought Rahel to the station, but didn\u2019t know what to do. They had on their hands a drunk teenager, but they knew she wasn\u2019t a criminal; just a sweet and holy\u00a0bat Yisrael<\/em>\u00a0who needed a loving and supportive home. So they picked up the phone and called Beit Naomi, who took her in.<\/p>

Three months ago, Rahel got married. Like all brides from Beit Naomi, she and her\u00a0hatan<\/em>\u00a0received a personal blessing from Hacham Ovadia Yosef on their wedding day.<\/p>

\u201cBeit Naomi is My Home\u201d<\/p>

Odelia* also lives at\u00a0Beit Naomi<\/em>. Here\u2019s her story, in her own words:<\/p>

When I slammed the door of my apartment\u2026it was clear what it meant: I am leaving, and not coming back.<\/p>

I left my house for the confusing street, to the spiritual emptiness, materialism and desolation, as I shed all of the morals and values upon which I was raised\u2026dissolving and sinking deep and fast in a dizzying and uncontrolled downward spiral… I remember days and nights of bone-chilling cold, suffering, roaming the city looking for a morsel to eat to settle my empty rumbling stomach…<\/p>

After a lengthy period, one day I randomly bumped into a friend from high school\u2026 She barely recognized me. Her gaze was long and penetrating \u2013 she looked at me in disbelief, trying to say something but not quite managing \u2013 the words simply getting stuck in her throat. I smiled a confused smile \u2013 \u201cYes, you\u2019re not mistaken, it\u2019s me, Odelia\u2026\u201d Suddenly she embraced me, hugging me tightly, kissing me and bursting into sobs and tears filled with mercy.
I couldn\u2019t believe she was crying for me; I had long since stopped crying for myself.<\/p>

After a few moments of shock and tears, she pulled away and gazed into my eyes with a look of love and trust. \u201cI want you to come to me for Shabbat,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ll have a chance to relax and catch up.\u201d I thought about it. What did I have to lose? \u201cOK,
I answered. I\u2019ll come.\u201d<\/p>

At the end of a wonderful Shabbat, my friend tried to convince me to stay in touch with her. \u201cWho knows?\u201d she said, \u201cMaybe some time you\u2019ll need help. I will always be here for you, any day at any hour.\u201d Tired and weary from previous disappointments, I mumbled a response: \u201cWe\u2019ll see\u2026I hope\u2026\u201d I gently avoided any commitment.<\/p>

After Shabbat we parted with a hug and I was on my way to the regular meeting spot for the Saturday night party. I walked slowly down the sidewalk, thinking about the Shabbat I had just experienced, the incredible hospitality, the delicious food and the warm reception I was given by my friend and her family. These were things I missed so deeply.<\/p>

I arrived at the party, which as usual was filled with alcohol used to escape reality. But this time I let myself go with no control\u2026 Suddenly I felt dizzy; I turned around and passed out. I remember nothing else from that evening.<\/p>

I awoke the next day in the hospital, bruised and wounded from my fall to the ground. I didn\u2019t know what to do with myself \u2013 the pain, the shame. I asked myself, \u201cHow low have I sunk?\u201d<\/p>

That moment was the dramatic turning point in my life. I suddenly remembered the words my friend had spoken just hours before. \u201cMaybe some time you\u2019ll need help. I\u2019ll always be here for you.\u201d
I gathered all the emotional strength I could find and called her. In a voice choked with tears, I told her about the horrible ordeal I\u2019d been through. \u201cRelax; I\u2019m on my way,\u201d she responded, and a short time later we were walking out of the hospital together.<\/p>

\u2026We sat and chatted just like in the old days. This time I opened up and told her everything I had been through since leaving home… \u201cDon\u2019t you think, after so long, it\u2019s time to go home?\u201d she asked.
I shook my head. In my current state, it\u2019s not the right time.<\/p>

She thought for a few minutes and said, \u201cOK, give me a few hours\u2026\u201d Two hours later, after a quick telephone call a meeting was set up that very day with the staff of Beit Naomi. I was greeted with a caring look and a warm smile.<\/p>

From that moment on, Beit Naomi is my home.<\/p>

The Heartbreaking Tears<\/p>

As a private institution, Beit Naomi is not entitled to any government funding. Every penny is provided from private donations. \u201cOur biggest difficulty,\u201d says Rabbi Nahari, who does not take a salary for his work, \u201cis to face the heartbreaking tears of girls asking for help, and due to lack of space and budgets, to have to leave them exposed to the terrible dangers of the street.\u201d<\/p>

In a video posted on the home page of Beit Naomi\u2019s website (www.beitnaomi.org), Hacham Ovadia Yosef describes Beit Naomi as \u201ca holy and pure institution that saves lives.\u201d Indeed, Rabbi Nahari and his staff at Beit Naomi have been saving lives for the last several years, and they now invite the broader community to take part in this sacred endeavor. Rabbi Nahari is working to form a board of American women to organize activities to assist the holy work of Beit Naomi, and allow it to offer its life-saving services to each and every girl who needs them.<\/p>

Anyone interested in helping this organization or volunteering is asked<\/p>

to contact Rabbi Nahari<\/p>

at Beitnaomi@yahoo.com.<\/p>

*Names have been changed to protect privacy.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BEIT NAOMI \u2013 SAVING THE LIVES OF JEWISH GIRLS By: Rabbi Eli Haber It all began on a wintry Friday night in 2005, on Hakablan St. in Jerusalem\u2019s Har Nof neighborhood. Prayers had ended at the synagogue of HaGaon Hacham Ovadia Yosef, shelit\u201da, and the hacham and all the congregants had already gone home. As the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1684","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1684"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1696,"href":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684\/revisions\/1696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beitnaomi.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}