Amid Sorrow and Hope: Ami Maimon Shares His Story

The terrorist attack initiated by Hamas on the morning of Simchat Torah caught us all by surprise, yet few have done as much to boost national morale as Ami Maimon has over the past four months. Maimon, 47, married and a father of eight living in Bat Yam, is a radio host, DJ, and musician who has made a name for himself in the haredi media for many years.

"The sirens rang out on that holy day morning like thunder out of the blue, and it quickly became clear to me that we were faced with a great tragedy," describes Maimon. "Calls started pouring into our home. I have four sons who have served, some still do, and we realized something massive was happening. By Sunday, things became clearer, and I decided, with Hashem's help, to leverage my platform on the radio for the soldiers and for the people of Israel. The public donated close to a thousand pairs of tefillin, which we distributed together with the station's director, Ariel Deri. We also organized a bar mitzvah for a child whose father is a senior combat soldier; it was very emotional. The father returned to Gaza just after a few hours of joining the celebration."

"In my radio show, I announced the need to wash soldiers’ uniforms. Within no time, hundreds of women volunteered to take the soldiers' laundry and return it clean. Personally, I recite the daily portion of Tehillim each day for the success of the soldiers and all of Israel. Prayer transcends everything. Overall, everything I do is for the sanctification of Hashem's name, for the victory of the people of Israel, to keep us from despair, for unity, and to remember that every Jew is a divine soul, part of Hashem, no matter the situation, and that one can always return to good, even from the hardest situations."

To Love Every Jew

"I was born in Bat Yam to haredi parents from Tripoli," Maimon recounts. "They were remarkable people of kindness who created a very joyful home. My father worked with marble stones for graves, and my mother, a cheerful housewife, was full of love for people and maintained unity and joy with everyone who ate her meals. Close to our home was a Chabad House; my parents connected with it, loved the envoys, and sent us to study with Chabad. I deeply connected to this approach, which teaches love and inclusivity for all Jews, and I participated in many campaigns of spreading Judaism from a young age. During those years, I studied at Chabad Yeshivos in Kiryat Gat and Tel Aviv and later transferred to the 'Bar-Ilan' Yeshiva in Tel Aviv in ninth grade."

"I was the funniest kid in class, always making jokes and driving the teachers nuts. My father would be called to the yeshiva I attended at least once a month because the rabbis wanted to reprimand me for my behavior. However, since all my grades were a hundred, they didn't know what to do with me. The humor I had in yeshiva, I carried forward, and I realized you could bring many Jews closer through laughter and smiles."

"Alongside my studies in yeshiva, I accompanied Rabbi Tvardovitz from Kfar Chabad. He is a well-known halachic authority, and I drove him to Torah classes and learned a great deal with him. Eventually, I was examined and certified for the rabbinate by two city rabbis. In Chabad, it is customary to receive rabbinical ordination before marriage, but I married early and did it at age 24. When I was 18, I met my future wife, Tali, née Atl. We wrote to the Rebbe about the match, and the secretary returned to us, saying the Rebbe blessed the union. We married on my wife's birthday, a special date, and after the wedding, I joined the army and served in various religious roles. I believe that anyone who doesn't study Torah all day should join the security forces; there are no compromises on this matter. I have four fighter children, and I'm very proud of them."

Thank Hashem, You Are Blessed with Eight Children

"Yes, this was very important to us. By the time I was discharged, we already had two children, and twins came after them. The gaps between the children were minimal. We wanted to fulfill our mission and hasten the redemption by bringing all the souls meant for this world. After five sons, our daughter was born; she is our only daughter, followed by Shmuelik and Schneur. Shmuelik was a regular child at first. At age seven, his condition began to deteriorate cognitively, in his ability to walk, and more."

"We tried to understand what was wrong, consulted many doctors, and ultimately realized it was a very rare disease, and most likely, those who have it pass around age 20. Yet, we had immense faith in Hashem, believing He could perform miracles above nature. Moreover, we strongly adhered to the verse from Tehilim, ‘Support me and I will be saved.’ From this verse, we learned that hosting meals for others could bring great salvations. Every Shabbat afternoon, I organized a massive meal for about a hundred people, who would come to enjoy the cholent and camaraderie. I believed that through this mitzvah, I could persuade Hashem to heal my son."

How Did Shmuelik Feel During This Time?

"It wasn't easy for Shmuelik, and it was complex for us too, but we did everything we could for him. When he reached Bar Mitzvah age, we held a massive celebration attended by all the greats of Israel. We believed Shmuelik would live many more years, but a week after his Bar Mitzvah, on Rosh Chodesh Adar, Shmuelik passed away. He went to sleep and never woke up. His death struck us like thunder on a clear day; we did not expect it. Especially during the days when increasing joy is pivotal and I—Ami Maimon, Minister of Joy—was expected to spread happiness. It was very difficult."

"Yet, I did not sink into sadness. The most important thing for me is to do Hashem's will and fulfill my mission in the world. The day after the shiva, I returned to the radio. My program runs for two hours; in the first hour, I talked about him, and in the second hour, I broadcasted as usual. A Jew must know to wipe away tears and move forward. You can cry, but you have to keep going. Since what happened, I often comfort people who’ve lost children and tell them life must continue. It's what Hashem wants from us. Of course, it’s essential to do many good deeds in memory of the child. When Shmuelik passed, I cried a lot and hurt deeply; I hugged the children, and we shared in the pain together. Even today, I miss him very much, especially when seeing pictures of us together."

In What Way Did Shmuelik's Passing Affect the Family?

"Shmuelik's passing impacted us in numerous ways, but one of the most significant was the massive void that suddenly appeared in our lives. Raising Shmuelik was very challenging but done with love, and, to some extent, our lives became easier after he passed. As a result of the void in our lives, my wife fell into sadness. Her sister took her to a cake baking course, and she turned into an outstanding professional in this field. Today, she is among the strongest figures in the country in cake baking, truly rising from the sadness she experienced after Shmuelik's passing. She incorporates much kindness into it, and in recent months she and other women baked nearly a thousand cakes for the families of kidnapped and displaced individuals. Each cake costs about 500 shekels, but we didn’t let the money stop us. One of the most touching moments was a cake for a nine-year-old boy whose parents were murdered. He requested a special cake, and we made precisely what he wanted. When they sent us the video of him receiving the cake, we cried like babies."

 

On the Airwaves

Although Maimon engages in various fields, his primary public recognition stems from his beloved radio program, broadcasted on Kol Barama Radio from two to four in the afternoon. "The program is a significant part of my life, and I invest heavily in it. The main goal is to cheer and strengthen people, and thank Hashem, I do this on the radio as well. My program includes complicated Torah questions with prizes for listeners to answer, a comedy segment that lifts the spirits, a corner on connecting Jews, conversations with celebrities discussing their faith points, and more. The show has top ratings; we surpass competitors on Kol Chai Radio during our slot, so people connect to what we are doing."

"In addition to that, I’ve organized many major performances and contributed to the birth of many songs. When I started broadcasting, I felt that many songs lacked important messages, so I approached singers and proposed writing songs about the six constant mitzvot that every Jew must observe every moment. Eventually, the system accepted 26 songs on this subject, and we held a major men's-only event at Binyanei Hauma where the songs were presented to the public. At this event, Chaim Israel, Yaniv Ben Mashiach, Itzik Eshel, Midad Tasa, and many others performed. Years later, I organized a similar night with songs about fathers, which was also a great success. Here it’s important to add that in all of the successes Hashem has granted me, my wife is a full partner, and it’s all thanks to her. I draw my strength and joy from her."

"By the way, talking about strength and songs, I occasionally sing with Udi Damari, and we release songs together. Among others, we released 'We are not Afraid,' 'The Eternal Nation,' and 'Protective Edge.' These songs were very successful. Some of the words of these songs I wrote myself but gave Udi all the credits. Overall, we are a musical family, and music flows in our veins. My eldest son, David, is in the field; my son Yossi is a musician and works as a successful DJ, and we continue to grow, thank Hashem. We believe that through everything Hashem created, one can and should serve Him; you have to do it correctly, and that's what I strive to do all my life."