The Minyan Saved Our Lives

Florida Shliach Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz and his children Zeldie, Chaya Mushka, and Peretz Meir Simcha visited Moscow, and were hosted by Mr. Vadim Lipkind and Shliach Shmuel Kuperman.

He shared this story with COLlive:

During our trip, we visited the Chabad Mosdos and spent Shabbos in the Marina Roscha Synagogue and Jewish Community Center headed by the Shliach Rabbi Berel Lazar who has revolutionized Russia in an unbelievable way. Judaisim is booming there – with the growth of Chabad Houses, Shuls, schools, a Jewish museum, kosher food and kosher restaurants – it’s really amazing.

The ride from Moscow to the airport always has heavy traffic, so most people send their luggage by car early that sits in traffic, and they travel in the speed train. That was our plan, as arranged by Mr. Lipkind and Rabbi Kuperman.

Monday night, the night before we were to fly, we were going over the logistics to getting to the airport, and Rabbi Kuperman said, “I’m going to send a big van that will take you and your luggage to the airport.”

“I thought we were we going by train, so as to avoid traffic,” I replied.

He said that since he has a Minyan that he has to be back for, he can’t accompany us on the train to show us the way, so he will instead send the driver and van.

When we landed in Israel we read about the major train accident that happened at the time we were supposed to be on the train.

At least 20 people were killed and more than 120 were injured when the Moscow underground train derailed during the morning rush hour in one of the worst accidents on the Russian capital’s subway system in years.

Thank G-d for watching over us and thanks for the Minyan the Shliach Rabbi Kuperman had in his Chabad house.