Special Request: Who Knows the Woman I Wronged 13 Years Ago?

Thousands of people who opened the 'Power of Advertising' newspaper distributed in the central region this morning were astonished by an unconventional ad. At the top of the ad, it read in large letters: "Looking for a 65-year-old woman and her 35-year-old daughter."

Below the headline it was noted: "The women were present in a particular incident that occurred 13 years ago on a bus returning from a separate beach in Herzliya towards Kiryat Herzog, in Bnei Brak, in the afternoon. During the incident, a disagreement developed between the women and a group of teenage girls. During the argument, the older woman said to one of the girls: 'May it be difficult for you in matchmaking!' Please, anyone who remembers anything about this incident, we would be happy if you would get in touch by phone." A phone number was also provided later in the ad.

As it turns out, behind the publication of this extraordinary ad are two sisters - Ruth and Reut, both of whom are currently in difficult situations in their lives. Ruth has been waiting for children for eight years, while her sister Reut is no longer young and has yet to find a match.

"For years, we've been carrying guilt from an event that happened on the way to the beach, where we hurt two women," Ruth tells 'Hidabroot'. "Last Shabbat, we decided that it was time to take action to find these women and make amends, which is what led us to publish the ad."

"We Tried Both Physical and Spiritual Efforts, But Nothing Works"

About what happened that day, around 13 years ago, Ruth recounts: "I was about fifteen years old. My sister and I were traveling to Herzliya beach with two friends. On our way back, we took two seats on the bus, but suddenly an older woman and her daughter boarded and sat in our seats. We tried asking them to move, and then we began to shout and demand that they vacate the seats for us. I remember at some point we spoke really rudely, and women and other girls on the bus witnessed it, and it was really unpleasant. My sister also recalls the incident as embarrassing. Near the end of the argument, the older woman turned to me and said, 'If you behave like this, it will be hard for you in matchmaking.' I don't know if she meant to 'wish' us difficulty or was simply stating a fact that with such behavior, finding a match would be difficult for us."

She adds: "After we arrived in Bnei Brak, we didn't get off at our stop but continued to follow these women to see where they would get off. Even now, I can't explain why we did that. We walked to their residential area and saw that they reached Kowalski Street in Kiryat Herzog. Therefore, we suspect that they might reside on that street."

For them, the story ended at that time. As young girls, they did not think about the matchmaking world. Still, Ruth admits that in all the years that passed, she constantly worried that her matchmaking would be delayed because of the older woman's objection. "When I entered matchmaking, I was really scared of this, but eventually, I got married at a relatively young age and easily. But unfortunately, I've been waiting for children for eight years, while my sister has been waiting for a match for many years and is really stuck."

Ruth adds: "I've tried so many efforts, both physical and spiritual, but nothing seems to help. So I decided to publish the ad, maybe it will help us."

Countless Calls and Inquiries

After the extraordinary ad was published in the newspaper, Ruth says she received many phone calls. "None of them provided details about the women I'm looking for, but many called to ask for my name and my sister's name and promised to pray, and some wanted to tell me stories of similar situations and how they ended.

"There was someone who offered me an original suggestion - to take upon myself to do something good for the merit of this woman, and this might remove the weight from her heart. I really liked this idea. There was also a Rabbi I approached, and he guided me to pray to Hashem to make her remember this story and to say in her heart that we were just kids and didn't mean to hurt or distress."

She also has a message: "I can testify about myself – until eighth grade, I was a very shy child, and suddenly when I matured, I started to speak and dare to say everything I felt. Today, looking back, I know how wrong that was. It's clear to me that when someone comes to attack you, you must first calm down, not respond immediately, but hold back, think, and speak gently. Only in this way can you avoid conflicts and shouting.

"Another thing I've learned is to be very careful about hurting others. It doesn't have to happen in a conversation or argument. Sometimes, even when you leave a store, you might leave the clerk hurt. Afterward, it's very hard to know whom you've hurt, and often, like in my case, you're unable to find the right person to apologize to and reconcile with.

"I really hope that I can make amends with the woman we hurt, and if not, at least strengthen others along the way and prevent similar and unfortunate incidents."

Please pray for Ruth Dina bat Geula Mazal for a viable seed, and for Reut Alia bat Geula Mazal for an appropriate match soon. If you have any details about the incident, please contact Ruth at: 0548493861