Barefoot but Unshaken
All credit goes to Rabbi Shraga Freedman
June 18, 2026
The following remarkable story was related by Rav Amon Yitzchak of Shofar kiruv Organization:
Rabbi Yekusiel Yehuda Meislish who was the Seagate Rav in New York for many years was invited to speak in a large shul in Montreal. After the speech, a Yid from Eretz Yisroel approached him with a heavy heart.
He had come to collect tzedakah for his daughter’s chasunah, but after three weeks there, he had not even covered the cost of his ticket.
Rabbi Meislish could see this was a special Yid with a very difficult situation.
He thought for a moment and said, “I’m traveling next to Melbourne, where there are very few meshulachim. Come with me, and I will help you over there.”
At the airport, an unusual thing happened.
During security, everyone placed their shoes on the conveyor belt. Rabbi Meislish’s came through. The Yerushalmi’s did not. The staff searched and searched, but the shoes had simply vanished.
Rabbi Yekusiel Yehuda Meislish who was the Seagate Rav in New York for many years was invited to speak in a large shul in Montreal. After the speech, a Yid from Eretz Yisroel approached him with a heavy heart.
He had come to collect tzedakah for his daughter’s chasunah, but after three weeks there, he had not even covered the cost of his ticket.
Rabbi Meislish could see this was a special Yid with a very difficult situation.
He thought for a moment and said, “I’m traveling next to Melbourne, where there are very few meshulachim. Come with me, and I will help you over there.”
At the airport, an unusual thing happened.
During security, everyone placed their shoes on the conveyor belt. Rabbi Meislish’s came through. The Yerushalmi’s did not. The staff searched and searched, but the shoes had simply vanished.
People around them began protesting loudly. How could shoes disappear in an airport machine?
But the meshulach said nothing. He stood quietly and calmly in his socks, without complaint, without anger, and eventually boarded the plane barefoot.
During the flight, a non-Jewish passenger from first class approached them. “I saw what happened. If that were me, I would have turned the whole airport upside down. But he accepted it so calmly. I could not believe it.”
But the meshulach said nothing. He stood quietly and calmly in his socks, without complaint, without anger, and eventually boarded the plane barefoot.
During the flight, a non-Jewish passenger from first class approached them. “I saw what happened. If that were me, I would have turned the whole airport upside down. But he accepted it so calmly. I could not believe it.”
Rabbi Meislish understood the moment. “Do you know why he is traveling? He married off a daughter and has no money to pay his debts.”
The man asked how much he needed. Rabbi Meislish said $25,000 to make a wedding plus he has a large family that he needs to support.
The passenger took out his checkbook and, right there on the plane, wrote a check for $75,000!
When they arrived in Melbourne, Rabbi Meislish also spoke publicly on his behalf, and he shared the amazing hashgacha pratis that happened on the plane, and he raised a substantial additional amount.
Before returning home, Rabbi Meislish got a call from the head of the local kehillah.
He said you won’t believe this but there was a wealthy non-Jewish businessman who had refused to deal with Jews for years, claiming they were dishonest. They had tried repeatedly to meet him, with no success.
That very day, the businessman called.
He had been on the flight and was the one that was involved in the incident with the shoes.
“When I saw how that Jew behaved,” he said, “I realized I was wrong. I want to start doing business with Jews.”
Watch Rav Rav Amon Yitzchak sharing this story here: הנעליים שנעלמו בטיסה. | שופר
Living with emunah may be one of the most powerful forms of Kiddush Hashem.
The calmness and tranquility of someone who lives with “shivisi Hashem l’negdi tamid” is felt in every interaction and brings more awareness of Hashem into the world.
The man asked how much he needed. Rabbi Meislish said $25,000 to make a wedding plus he has a large family that he needs to support.
The passenger took out his checkbook and, right there on the plane, wrote a check for $75,000!
When they arrived in Melbourne, Rabbi Meislish also spoke publicly on his behalf, and he shared the amazing hashgacha pratis that happened on the plane, and he raised a substantial additional amount.
Before returning home, Rabbi Meislish got a call from the head of the local kehillah.
He said you won’t believe this but there was a wealthy non-Jewish businessman who had refused to deal with Jews for years, claiming they were dishonest. They had tried repeatedly to meet him, with no success.
That very day, the businessman called.
He had been on the flight and was the one that was involved in the incident with the shoes.
“When I saw how that Jew behaved,” he said, “I realized I was wrong. I want to start doing business with Jews.”
Watch Rav Rav Amon Yitzchak sharing this story here: הנעליים שנעלמו בטיסה. | שופר
Living with emunah may be one of the most powerful forms of Kiddush Hashem.
The calmness and tranquility of someone who lives with “shivisi Hashem l’negdi tamid” is felt in every interaction and brings more awareness of Hashem into the world.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our annual campaign.
It is a tremendous chizuk to see how this focus on Kiddush Hashem is resonating with so many people.
It's not too late to donate! and to help us continue this important work!
It is a tremendous chizuk to see how this focus on Kiddush Hashem is resonating with so many people.
It's not too late to donate! and to help us continue this important work!
Keep sharing your inspiring stories with us and spreading the message of Kiddush Hashem to others!
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
Rabbi Shraga Freedman
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