Prayer Book That Stopped Bullet in 1948 Battle Donated to Archives

A remarkable story of survival from the 1948 War of Independence has come full circle, as the family of Moshe Kamara, a medic who was saved by his prayer book, has donated the artifact to the Gush Etzion archive. During the battle for the Russian Monastery in Gush Etzion in 1948, Kamara was shot by a Jordanian sniper. The bullet penetrated the olive wood cover of the prayer book he carried in his chest pocket, coming to rest within its final pages.

Kamara, a fighter in the Alexandroni Brigade, arrived in Gush Etzion in March 1948. His unit was stationed at the Russian Monastery, a strategic point overlooking the Jerusalem-Hebron road. A comrade recounted how Kamara, running into heavy fire to tend to the wounded, had placed the prayer book in his uniform pocket for safekeeping. He was hit and fell, but miraculously got up and continued fighting.

After the battle, it was discovered that the bullet had lodged in the prayer book. Years later, Kamara's grandson learned of the incident and, upon inquiry, discovered the bullet had stopped near the verse "the King who causes death and life," specifically perforating and obscuring the word "death" (memit). Kamara was among the few who survived the final battle at the monastery and was taken captive by the Jordanians. He managed to retrieve the prayer book from a Jordanian soldier while in captivity and kept it throughout his time as a prisoner, bringing it back to Israel as a testament to his miraculous survival.

Moshe Kamara passed away 16 years ago. This week, his children visited the Russian Monastery and later donated the prayer book to the Gush Etzion archive. They stated, "The prayer book returns to the place where its story is intertwined." Archive director Dr. Shuki Srir expressed that the donation, received before the High Holy Days, is a moving story of life and death from the eve of the state's establishment. The director of the Kfar Etzion Field School called the prayer book a living testament to the bravery of the defenders of Gush Etzion in 1948, adding significant historical and spiritual value to the region's heritage.