Stories from Yonah's Shiva - Part 3

A lovely woman who identified herself as a babysitter for twins aged 5 years old recounted an interesting story about Yonah. The twins she baby-sits live in another part of Kiryat Arba. There are several modern playgrounds all over KA. These twins always chose to play in the playground in front of Yonah’s apartment. They loved to talk to him and ask him questions. He always showed patience with them and answered their questions. The twins named this playground, the playground of the Ish HaTov (The Good Man). I asked her what she told them about Yonah’s accident. She told the children that the Good Man went to a Good Place. I continued to ask what the twins call the playground now. She answered that they will always call it the playground of the Ish HaTov (The Good Man).

On the third day of shiva, the question of why Yonah went further than his usual turn to get to Ramat Bet Shemesh was solved. A religious woman and her husband appeared at the apartment. I asked her how she knew Yonah. She quietly responded that she was in the car before Yonah was killed. I was shocked. I asked her to explain. She told us that she was waiting for a ride or the bus and it started to rain. She was getting drenched. Yonah saw her and gave her a lift and went out of his way and dropped her at a gas station where she could wait for a ride or bus out of the rain. She did not know him or his name but recognized the car from a picture in the newspaper. After doing this “Mitzvah” (Good Deed), Yonah went back to reach his turn off. At this point n o one is sure what exactly happened. We don’t know if his car skidded or that the truck coming from the opposite lane speeded and swerved into Yonah’s lane. Israeli truck drivers are notorious for speeding and causing many accidents and deaths. Unfortunately, Israel does not police their roads or maintain safe roads either. Anyway, there was a collision; Yonah was pinned in the car. A Rabbi who came a few minutes later called the central office to contact the fire department. The Central Office (our 911) stated they knew about it. Though the EMT people came quickly, Yonah needed to be extricated from the car by a Fire truck. The Police came 20 minutes later. Meanwhile the rabbi talked to Yonah telling him he would be saved. He said Tehillim (Psalms) with him. Yonah couldn’t talk. He just nodded. The Fire Truck took over 45 minutes to come. By that time, my Yonah had lost his pulse, the Rabbi said Vidui (Confessions) and Shema for him. The Rabbi came to speak to us and told us the details. He was so kind. My son did not die alone. He had a Rabbi at his side. But in an interview with a reporter, the Rabbi said that he really believed that Yonah might have been saved if the Fire Truck had come sooner. Bet Shemesh was only 20 minutes from the accident but the Fire Truck came from a farther town. There are many outstanding questions that are being investigated. Why did the Fired Truck come so late? Was there a mix up and why? Who failed in the job of trying to rescue a sweet loving young man of 24 years?

My oldest son Rabbi Zev Goldman told me that a famous sage named Rabbeinu Yonah (coincidently same name) from the Mishna (Talmud) said that if someone dies after completing a Mitzvah, a good deed, it was an indication that he completed his mission on Earth. My Yonah impacted everyone he met with his smile, positive attitude, love of Israel and his, “Kol Beseder, Baruch Hashem.” (Everything is in order, thank G-d).