Stranded Siblings Return Safely

By COLlive reporter

Yisrael arevim ze la’zeh.

Two Chabad children who were stranded on Erev Yom Kippur with their flight being diverted to another city instead of their hometown are safe and sound, with the help of others.

On Tuesday, Rabbi Naftaly and Henya Hertzel learned that their daughter and son were headed to North Carolina instead of flying back to Miami, where the parents run the Chabad Israeli Center of Boca Raton, Florida.

“Yesterday, Erev Yom Kippur, my two children were flying from Miami to LaGuardia, and their flight got diverted to North Carolina because of the bad weather in New York,” the Hertzels wrote on Facebook.

“It is over 24 hours later, I have been on hold for 2 hours with American Airlines and there’s still no answer, and no way of getting them onto a flight out of North Carolina.”

Stepping in to help the stranded children were Rabbi Yossi and Mariashi Groner, Head Shluchim of North Carolina. The Groners welcomed the children as their own for Yom Kippur.

Rabbi and Mrs. Hertzel were deeply touched. “This is the work of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, putting Chabad emissaries all around the world to be there for any Jew in need,” they said.

Mrs. Hertzel said that when she thanked Mrs. Groner for assisting, her response was, “We are sisters. Would you not do the same for me?”

On Motzoei Yom Kippur, the Hertzels updated their family and community that their children have returned to New York.

“Thank you to everyone who helped and showed concern and support,” they said. “The children are happy and they know there was a reason why Hashem sent them there for Yom Kippur… to do a special Shlichut of the Rebbe.”