"The Moment She Was Rescued From the Village, We Saw Her Smile and Got Goosebumps"

Idan is in disguise. He wears local clothing, but a villager outside Israeli territories gives him a suspicious look and addresses him in a foreign language: "Excuse me, who are you?" Idan is experienced in the field. He is focused on his goal and doesn't falter. He responds with a perfect accent, "I'm a cigarette company's agent." He hopes the suspicious man won't want to do business with him, thereby revealing his true identity as a rescuer of captives from hostile settlements.

The rescues conducted by the Captive Women Department seem like scenes from an action film. They involve significant tension, real danger, emotional salvation, and a happy ending.

"The uniqueness of the rescues is in the timing, sophistication, and method," says Kalina Schwartz, head of the 'Captive Women' department at Hidabrut. "We keep in touch with various security agencies to find the best way to rescue the woman and her children from a dangerous area, and then provide her with personal, economic, and emotional security until she can live independently," Kalina notes.

"Four years ago, I met a man who offered me to move to his village. He promised it would be 100 times better there, and I believed him. Now, seeing how my life and my children's lives have turned into a prison, I kindly ask - please help me get out of here."

(Photo: shutterstock)

This was the message received at the "Contact Us" department at Hidabrut, forwarded to Kalina, the department manager.

"I responded to her message, and we switched to a phone conversation. We acted with utmost speed to rescue her immediately. The man worked in Israeli territories and used entry permits to leave in the morning and return to Palestinian territories in the evening, meaning he wasn't home during the day. We intended to rescue her that day and told her to pack a suitcase and be ready and available by phone," Kalina recounts.

An Innocent and Staged Situation as a Creative Rescue Solution

The area is Palestinian, outside Israeli territories. This means Israel has no permission to enter these areas, neither with the army nor the police. The department tries to find the most efficient way to rescue the woman, who was pregnant, and her children. One of the department's operatives is Idan, a graduate of a combat unit in the IDF, a bodyguard of threatened individuals, and a security officer by profession.

In cooperation with the regional coordinator in the security system, who knows the area well, including the houses and the location of the house where the woman was held, a creative decision was made: the woman arrived in a car with a green license plate to the checkpoint, to the Israeli security forces and to Idan, a Hidabrut operative, and from there she was immediately transferred to the police station to file a complaint against the man who abused her and her children.

(Photo: shutterstock)

"While giving testimony, she didn't need to say much, as the bruises on her body were clearly visible, as were those on her young son," Kalina continues describing the unbelievable case.

"From the police station, she came to the Hidabrut home. We gave her money and food, and then she was led to the safe house. During this whole time, Idan secured her surroundings, fearing that the man or his family members would try to locate and harm her. All in all, about four hours passed from the initial contact, and the woman was already on another planet – a safe place in Israeli territories where she was calm, secure, and happy."

The drama in this story didn't end. On one of the days, the man went to the police station to complain about the disappearance of his "wife" and children, since he couldn't find them anywhere. He had no idea she had been smuggled to Israel, and that she had filed a complaint against him. The man was immediately arrested.

"His employer tried to contact the woman we rescued," Kalina continues to describe the dramatic details of the case. The department made it clear to him that it was absolutely forbidden to contact the woman, lest he be arrested as well, illustrating what boldness in holiness means.

"The employer claimed to be unaware of the problems. He apologized and disappeared from the picture. The abusive man's work permit was revoked, and he was arrested. This is the correct outcome - everyone according to their deeds and position," Kalina concludes.

The woman gave birth to her daughter and lived in a special assistance apartment for rehabilitation with a house mother and a support network from every direction. The woman was found eligible for various benefits, and the children entered Jewish religious frameworks. With Hashem's help, the rehabilitation succeeded.

A Woman Locked in a Village Home and Facing Life-Threatening Danger

Idan recalls a particularly dramatic and emotional rescue. "I was grateful for the privilege to join the Captive Women Department at Hidabrut, in another holy mission of theirs, operating fearlessly with determination and confidence, with the obligation to assist a daughter of Israel in mind: A Jewish woman was locked inside a house in another village outside Israel. She and her children suffered a series of abuse and faced a real life-threatening danger."

(Photo: shutterstock)

We met at the checkpoint. She seemed drained, but the moment she reached Israeli territories, she removed her veil, and I saw the smile on her face. In those moments, she hugged her children, and we all felt her release and her security. Afterwards, she was taken to a Hidabrut safe house for full support.

Idan continues securing the rescued women in the first few days to ensure they are alright in all respects and that no one is trying to reach them. Additionally, he ensures they are not trying to reach the abusive man due to confusion or the force of bad habit. Sometimes it's necessary to maintain longer contact with the rescued woman, all managed and executed continuously by the "Captive Women" department.

Every case is different from the last, even if it sounds very similar. Each village is different, the women and their environment are different, so the "Captive Women" department tries to understand the whole picture to act correctly, cautiously, and quickly with Hashem's help, to seize the momentum of the rescued woman's desire for exit and rehabilitation and to remove any provocation that could cause chaos, G-d forbid.

How did you come to this mission in the Captive Women Department?

"A few years ago, following activity by the 'Captive Women' department in the Hidabrut organization, I felt the need to reach out and offer myself and my experience in the field of women who find themselves in dangerous and hostile relationships. I contacted Hidabrut and said I wanted to help rescue these women. I underwent quite a few suitability tests and was glad for the role given to me. I love the people of Israel. Ideologically speaking, a Jew or Jewess should not have relationships with someone not from our people. It's destructive, bound to fail, and will always end in the most inappropriate and undesirable way."

Every Rescue of a Woman is Like Selling a Torah Scroll

Until Idan entered the Hidabrut offices, he didn't really feel Hashem. His tasks were performed technically without feeling the connection to G-d or devotion to this holy task.

"When I started this mission, I defined myself as secular until one day I arrived at the Hidabrut offices, saw the organization's beating heart, and met people with a different lifestyle from mine, people with tremendous and special dedication and energies, purpose-driven and calculated."

On one of the days when Idan arrived at the Hidabrut house, he met Rabbi Zamir Cohen, shlita, in the corridors.

"Rabbi Zamir explained to me that every rescue of a woman from an intermingled relationship is like selling a Torah scroll since it's forbidden to sell a Torah scroll, but for fulfilling the mitzvah of redeeming captives, it's permitted to sell a Torah scroll and hand the money as ransom to captors.

"I understood that everything I'm committed to counts as a mitzvah, and we're progressing slowly but surely."

Idan, who didn't know what kiddush was or what the morning prayer was, attended Rabbi Zamir Cohen's class in Ramat Aviv, held on Thursday evenings, and found great interest.

"Rabbi Zamir spoke about life itself and various topics that he connected to Judaism. I attended these classes repeatedly and found a new and deep meaning in life. Today, thank G-d, I pray shacharit every morning and conduct kiddush on Shabbat. I don't drive on Shabbat unless it's a security duty, and I hope, with Hashem's help, to become even stronger."

It turns out that a joyful mitzvah brings with it another mitzvah and yet another mitzvah.

The 'Captive Women' department continues to operate tirelessly in preventing all types of intermarriage connections in Israel and worldwide in all proper ways. Captive Women – the department for preventing intermarriage, for inquiries and reports: Tel' 073-2221333 or 052-9551591. Email kalina@htv.co.il