The Letter That Touched Trump's Heart

This heartwarming story took place just weeks before President Donald Trump finished his term.

Shuki Friedman, a sweet 9-year-old Jewish boy, was very sick with a terminal illness. The "Make a Wish" foundation, which grants special wishes to sick children, came to visit him in the hospital. They asked him, "What is your biggest dream?"

Most kids ask to go to Disneyland or take a big trip. But Shuki’s request was very different. He said, "I want to meet the President of the United States, Donald Trump."

Sadly, Shuki was too sick to leave the hospital. He was hooked up to machines, and bringing the president to him was also nearly impossible — it would cost far more than the organization could afford.

Still, Shuki wouldn’t give up. "I need to ask him something," he said.

Finally, the head of the organization offered a new idea. "Why don’t you write a letter to the president?" he said. "I promise it will reach his desk within a week."

Though it was hard for him, Shuki sat up and wrote with great effort:

"Dear President Donald Trump,
I admire you very much, especially for how you care about the Jewish people. I don’t know how much time I have left, and I may already be gone by the time you read this.
But I can’t stop thinking about one thing:
There’s a Jewish man named Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin who’s in prison for 28 years. He has a wife and seven children — one of them is sick. All I can think about is how much his kids need their father.
Please, Mr. President, have mercy and free him."

The letter reached President Trump on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, during Chanukah. As he read the words, tears filled his eyes. He couldn’t finish it and asked his daughter Ivanka to read the rest aloud.

Very soon after, Trump signed a presidential pardon. On the last day of Chanukah — a day known for special light and blessings — Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin walked out of prison, free at last, 19 years earlier than expected.

What makes this story so special is not just what happened, but why it happened. Shuki, a young Jewish boy who didn’t ask for fun or comfort for himself, used his wish to help someone he didn’t even know.

This is the beautiful power of the Jewish soul. Even when life is hard, even when time is short, the heart of a Jew shines with kindness and care for others.