TOI….Truly Only Israel

We read daily of tragedies, corruption, terrorist attacks in Jerusalem…. mostly unsettling news.

But today a miracle occurred and all the world needs to hear of it.

A young Iranian female journalist, Neda Amin, had fled from Iran and had been living in and writing from Turkey for several years. She, in fact, also wrote several articles for and about Israel which had been published in the TIMES OF ISRAEL (TOI) but today TOI stands for a miracle which could happen TRULY ONLY in ISRAEL.

When informed by Turkish authorities that she had to leave the country or be deported back to Iran, Neda Amin desperately searched for a country that would admit her. Her first choice was Israel.

She contacted our editor-in-chief. David Horovitz, pleading with him to “save me”. She explained the dangers she was in, and if deported back to Iran her life would be in jeopardy. She begged David to help her to come to Israel.

David Horovitz, convinced of her sincerity and aware of the dangers which threatened her, did what a Jew must do. He promised to do everything within his power to help her obtain a visa to enter Israel.

Contacting influential friends and others, our benevolent editor-in-chief  put the facts before them and urged them in the name of humanity to help the young journalist and to save her life by offering her asylum in Israel.

Voices heard. Voices listened. Voices acted. At the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, Neda Amin was granted a visa .  Rejoicing in her newly found salvation, she hurried to the Kemal Ataturk airport in Istanbul, prepared to board a flight to Tel-Aviv.

There was however one big problem. She lacked the form signed by the Turkish police necessary to leave Turkey. Frightened and in despair, she attempted to call the office of the TIMES OF ISRAEL to notify them of the problem but her phone did not make the connection.

Concerned David Horovitz and members of the TOI team were alarmed, fearing that the Turkish authorities would prevent her from flying to Israel.

But the strong Hand of Almighty God was with her and one day later Neda received permission to fly.

She arrived at Ben-Gurion airport on August 10 and was warmly greeted and welcomed by our cherished editor-in-chief.

Neda Amin, an Iranian citizen, will  be settled somewhere in Jerusalem and will continue to write her articles in the Persian language edition of the TIMES OF ISRAEL.

It’s a beautiful heart-warming story and one which the world needs to know. Israel will always do whatever is possible to be of help to those deserving of help.

All Israelis wish her happiness and success. We have immense pride in the actions of our government to save the life of this brave young journalist.

We are indebted, in particular, to David Horovitz for his untiring efforts on her behalf. May God bless him for the great mitzvah which he performed.

And as I mentioned earlier, TOI has a new meaning…. TRULY ONLY ISRAEL.