Tell is a kiddush Hashem story (believe, Christians)

[theflipflop]

Today I was walking into my doctors office and I noticed a man on crutches struggling to maneuver. I asked him if I could lend a hand. He quickly gave me the bag he was holding and was thankful for the help. Literally 15 minutes later we’d negotiated the doors to the building, the elevator and a long hallway to get to his doctors office.

When I handed him back his bag, he asked me about my yarmulke. I confirmed that yes, I’m a Jew. He response was timeless. He told me he’s not surprised I helped him because that’s the way of the Jewish people.

Anybody could have helped him , Jew or not. The fact that I helped is only mildly interesting. The fact that he attributed my help to the entire Jewish people - it’s my pleasure to sanctify Hashem in the name of the Jewish people.

Anyone have a similar story where you or someone you saw/know sanctified Hashem in the name of Judaism?

[1+1=5]

The Berkowitz family, when I was growing up, comes to mind.

One day, when I was about 6, I'd gone to school and came home and told my mother that someone said Jews were not going to heaven. I won't go into the rhetoric here, but what I heard was very explicit and frightening. I was fully convinced that this was going to happen to all Jews because of what people at school were saying. My mom was adopted and at one point had told me she was Jewish, but we never knew for certain. I was really worried about our Jewish friends, though.

My mother's answer was to say nothing. The next week I found myself staying in the upstairs apartment of the Berkowitz family for a week (I think it was spring break). The Berkowitzes cooked, cleaned, prayed, kept Shabbos, helped neighbors, spoke kindly to neighbors, read, studied, walked to shul, and worked as a cohesive family unit, humbly honoring Hashem in almost every action.

That was the last time I ever repeated or believed anything so ignorant as what I heard at school that day. 40 years later, I shook myself free of Christian brainwashing and found the courage to convert. I'd rather spend one day as a Jewish person than a lifetime in a Christian heaven.

Nice thread!

[1+1=5]

A woman who did not trust many Christians or Muslims and who was snarky and full of disdain and bitterness for them (okay, it was me) came to shul week after week after week, and listened to a Rabbi whose only framework was one of education, peace, hope and coexistence. That Rabbi's consistent message most likely affected hundreds of people, who treat the thousands of people that coexist with them with a more understanding outlook now.

[Rachel NewYork]

Originally Posted by theflipflop

Anyone have a similar story where you or someone you saw/know sanctified Hashem in the name of Judaism?

My non-Jewish, elderly next-door neighbor is currently in the hospital. I have a key to her house, and I've been going over there every day to feed her cat and clean its litter box. My neighbor's only family is a cousin who slipped me a $50 bill for doing this. I told him I couldn't take any money for it because what I was doing was a mitzvah, and I asked him if I could send the money to my synagogue as a donation in his name. He was surprised, and said "Sure!" It also seemed to make him really happy that a Jewish congregation would be acknowledging him for the donation. Which made me happy, too!