Rabbi Yaakov Medan Returns to ICU to Pray for Critically Injured Neria Leiter

Rabbi Yaakov Medan, whose son Elisha was previously treated in the intensive care unit, returned to the same ward at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem to pray for Neria Dov Leiter, who is in critical condition.

Medan expressed his reluctance to return to the ICU, recalling his difficult time there three years prior when his son Elisha was hospitalized. He and his wife Ruti visited the ward, finding the same dedicated nurses and rooms, but this time to pray for Neria, who is heavily bandaged, on a respirator, and sedated.

Neria, described as a handsome and kind man, is married with four children and resides in the settlement of Yishuv HaDa'at in the Benjamin region. He has been serving in reserve duty for 500 days and was reportedly filling in for his older brother, Moshe Yedidya Leiter.

Moshe Yedidya Leiter, a decorated soldier from the Shaldag unit, was killed in a deadly explosion during an operation in Khan Yunis. The blast also killed three other soldiers and wounded six, including Rabbi Medan's son, Elisha. The commander of the advancing division, Dan Goldfus, had specifically requested that Moshe Yedidya Leiter and his unit lead the dangerous advance into Khan Yunis.

Both Neria and Moshe Yedidya are sons of Yechiel Leiter, Israel's ambassador to the United States. The article highlights Yechiel Leiter's efforts in the U.S. to counter anti-Israel sentiment and maintain strong ties between the two governments. Neria's mother, Chani, is praised for her strength and resilience amidst the family's ordeal.

The piece concludes with a collective prayer for Neria's recovery, transcending political and social divides, and emphasizes the significant contributions the Leiter family has made to Israel during its current existential conflict.