* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
Dani Alush was a dedicated worker for the Israel Electric Company, who went to repair the electricity in southern Israel at the Avshalom junction two days after the October 7 massacre. He was accidentally killed by Israeli forces due to the chaos in the region.
"Dani went there to restore light and his light will never be extinguished," his family decided. His wife Gal, vice principal at Rabin High School in Be'er Sheva, resolved to dedicate a Sefer Torah in his memory - at the school where she works.
This week, the streets of Be'er Sheva were filled with people dancing and singing as they accompanied the new Sefer Torah to the school. The following words were said by Gal at the Sefer Torah dedication:
"Tonight my soul is happy. This is the first time since Dani was killed that I've felt true happiness. I didn't think I would ever feel this way again, but that's how I felt tonight. Thank you."
Hundreds of people applauded. In attendance that evening was the city's mayor, Ruvik Danilovich, who stated that Dani had been a personal friend of his and that he misses him every day. Gal continued: "The decision to perpetuate Dani's memory through the writing of a Sefer Torah was a natural one for us. The second decision to donate the Sefer Torah to a non-religios school instead of a synagogue was not as apparent, but for me it was clear for two reasons:
The first reason is that knowing that Dani's Sefer Torah will be near me every day, and that I can listen to it being read, is a source of pleasure for me.
The second reason, which is no less important, is that welcoming a Sefer Torah into a secular school is more emotional and holy than bringing it to a religious school or synagogue. In those places it would be expected. But introducing a Sefer Torah to a secular school where the students can hear it and read from it is, in my eyes, many times more holy and heartwarming."
We live in a new Jewish era. At Rabin High School, they have already read from their new Sefer Torah about our patriarch, Yaakov, and the lessons he imparted to his children and to future generations, including us today.
