Israeli Ambassador Shares Hopeful Message from Son's Hospital Bed

Hours before the holiday of Simchat Torah, Israel's Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, shared a personal message from his son Neriah's hospital bedside. Neriah Leiter is in serious condition after being critically injured in a car-ramming attack at the Makabim checkpoint on Route 443. The ambassador stated that his son remains connected to life-support machines.

Leiter expressed immense gratitude for the support and prayers for his son, which he said have given him and his family "tremendous strength" and reinforced his belief in the power of prayer. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the family at the hospital to offer comfort and support.

Reflecting on the October 7th attacks, which occurred three years prior on Simchat Torah, Leiter described the perpetrators' ideology as one that "believes that killing Jews is admirable" and denies Israel's right to exist. He linked this ideology to recent events, including the murder of Natanel Shokron before Yom Kippur, an attempted attack on his second son shortly after Yom Kippur, and an attempted attack on a passenger plane heading to Tel Aviv. Leiter warned that until this ideology is defeated, "we are all like Neriah, dependent on life-support machines."

The ambassador also spoke about Israeli resilience and the meaning of his son's name, Neriah, which means "God's candle." He explained the name's significance, relating it to the weekly Torah portion of Behaalotecha, which describes Aaron lighting the seven lamps of the menorah. Leiter emphasized the enduring nature of this light, drawing a parallel to the historical survival of the Jewish people, citing American author Mark Twain.

Leiter concluded his message by urging the public to continue praying for Neriah's recovery, expressing hope that he might be able to celebrate the next Simchat Torah with his wife and children.