Prayer Book That Stopped Bullet in 1948 Battle Donated to Archive

A prayer book that miraculously stopped a Jordanian sniper's bullet during the 1948 battle for the Russian Monastery in Gush Etzion has been donated to the Gush Etzion archive. Moshe Kamara, a medic with the Alexandroni Brigade's Mekhmas Battalion, was carrying the olive wood-bound prayer book, a product of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, in his shirt pocket when he was shot. The bullet penetrated the cover and was stopped by the book's pages.

Kamara had arrived in Gush Etzion in late March 1948 and his unit was stationed at the Russian Monastery, a strategic point overlooking the Jerusalem-Hebron road. During intense fighting against Jordanian Legion forces, Kamara, known for his bravery in running into heavy fire, had filled his pockets with bandages and tucked the prayer book into his chest pocket. He was hit and fell, leading comrades to believe he was dead, but he quickly rose and continued fighting.

After the battle, it was discovered that the prayer book had saved his life. Years later, Kamara's grandson learned of the incident from his lecturer. Upon inquiry, his mother opened the prayer book to the page where the bullet stopped, finding it near the verse "A king who kills and gives life." The word "kills" (memit) was perforated and blurred by the bullet.

Kamara was among the few who survived the final battle at the monastery and was taken prisoner by the Jordanians. A Jordanian soldier took the prayer book, but Kamara risked his life to retrieve it, keeping it throughout his captivity and bringing it back to Israel. He passed away 16 years ago, but his family recently visited the Russian Monastery and the Gush Etzion archive, where they formally entrusted the prayer book to the archive's care.

Archive director Dr. Shuki Shreer noted the donation's significance as a story of life and death from the eve of Israel's establishment, while David Hasson, CEO of the Kfar Etzion Field School, called it a testament to the bravery of the Gush Etzion defenders and a valuable historical and spiritual addition to the region's heritage.