A Chabad rabbi working in Quito, Ecuador, was kidnapped last Monday and held for four days before being released on Thursday night.
Rabbi Tomer Rotem was abducted by an Israeli man who was well known to the Chabad representative and his wife, having frequented the center which they ran over a period of several years.
Approximately 9 months ago, Rotem and his wife, Rivka, became increasingly concerned with the man’s unstable behavior and decided to cease contact with him.
“It is very painful for us,” Rotem told The Jerusalem Post.
“We helped this man so much, we provided him with food and friends and a home, because ahavat hinam [love of one’s fellow man] is so critical for the Jewish people today.”
The man in question operated with a number of local criminals and demanded a ransom for Rotem in a note received by Rivka. She informed the police as well as the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Chabad officials.
Rotem was released on Thursday night without explanation and the kidnappers were found and arrested by the police on Friday.
Details of the incident were only made public on Saturday night.
“We are so thankful to Hakadosh Baruch Hu [G-d] for this miracle and for this deliverance,” Rotem said.
“Somehow, G-d intervened and changed the heart of these criminals, there’s no other way to explain it.”
“We are thanking G-d for every single breath, and thank everyone who prayed for us because it was in the merit of this prayer that Hashem brought about this miracle.”
Rotem was unwilling to go into the details of his ordeal, saying only that he had been harshly treated and physically hurt.
He said that he and his wife intend to stay in Ecuador and continue their service there but will be requesting additional donations to provide 24-hour security for the Chabad house where they work.
“We are happy to stay here and continue to provide for the spiritual and physical needs of Jews coming to the country,” Rotem said.
“This incident has actually united the community, and people are showing how much they care. They are flocking to the center, people are coming to put on tefillin and we are so thankful for all the support.”
to 23 why would you be writing loshon harah in the time we are suppose to add in our ahavat yisorel
Rabbi Tomer is a realy great person and he and his family are always helping Jewish People in Ecuador!! We are so glad he is free!! Lets get together to help with the security of “La Casa Jabad in Ecuador” so his fine work can continue.
Even in Communist Russia the Rebbeim never ceased to strenghten their chassidim. Every corner of the world with a Jewish presence is worthy to have a shlicah of the Rebbe, whatever the situation in the country. To save one Jew is saving the whole world, and that’s why it’s a mesirus nefesh to be a shliach.
With his relatives in Kfar, we said L’Chaim for his release during kiddush on Shabbat night after his kidnapping. Glad it worked.
dont go and bash every secular israeli…how about going out to inspire them as opposed to speaking bad about them.
ahavas yisroel! espically in the 3 weeks!
to number 4 any lubavitcher heard about mesiras nefesh for the rebbe if you didnt hearof such a thing than check your yichus mesiras nefesh for the rebbe is one of the main things for a chossid
I am so happy that the Shliach was finally released, but what is happening to this world? Yid against Yid, day after day? If we can’t get along then how do we expect other nations to?
May we be Zoche to the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, Bimheira Biyameinu, Amen!
THESE THIINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF LACK OF AHAVATYISROEL AMONGST THE SHLUCHIM AND THE RABBONIM WE ALLARE SUFFERING !!!!!!!!!!
who was your great grandfather? where was he?
thank you for being so perseptive.the two recent tragedies which occured in boro park and ey rl were perpetrated by individuals which obviously had serious mental health issues that were seemingly not being properly addressed.
Many commenters are laboring under a misconception. Comment#1 and others make it sound as if they now consider this to be the typical behaviour of a normal Jew towards another. In fact, in all of the cases that happened in the past month, it was a seriously unstable individual who was on serious medication or who had been behaving in a delusional way for a while who perpetrated these acts. So it appears to be more a case of – why is there a phenomenon of Jews who have unfortunate conditions to begin with, going over the top in this… Read more »
B”H the rabbi is OK.
A secular Israeli, nursed by ‘The Holy Land’ (‘Kedusha gives ‘nurture’ to the ‘Kelipos.’) with a generous ego…a product of Ben Gurion and all the other brilliant secular Zionists (Oxymoron) who associates with criminals becomes a ‘ticking bomb.’
Yes, we’ve become a nation like all other nations.
None of these secular Zionists will get ‘The Nobel Brain Prize.’
Although all Yidden are mishpocha we must not be blind to the fact that some of our family members are in need of help that we cannot give. Read this story carefully. The Rotems found this person disturbing and broke off contact with him. Some behaviors which may seem disturbing are harmeless, others are warning signs of serious problems. It is important that everyone be aware that some people can be dangerous to others or to themselves. Trust your instincts. Learn the signs of dangerous behavior. If you have doubts, ask a professional for help. Particularly if a person is… Read more »
that this Shliach was released safely!! we really havto thank Hasem every single minute……
Did you not notice that it was an Israeli who did this? He could have done this in any country or city, even in Crown Heights… It has nothing to do with the country.
We need more ahavas yisroel. One yid to another yid; one frumer yid to another frumer yid; one Shaliach to another Shaliach
Moshiach Now!!!
Being on Shlichus never meant being in danger? Only someone who has never been on Shlichus could say that.
The Rebbe spoke about how shlichus is mesiras nefesh begashmiyus and beruchniyus. My great grandfather was killed because of his shlichus for the Frierdiker Rebbe.
We are soldiers.
Equadoor is on the other side of samarkand not far from shainchai to the left of Kiev.
BH. he loved Chabad so much, he wanted to take Chabad with him.
this is crazy!!!!
It is by the equator, hence the name Ecuador. It is in South America. As an aside, google is a great tool for finding out such info…
Sorry for my ignorance, but where is Ecuador?
Is that a fact? Did the Frierdiker Rebbe never send someone to strengthen yiddishkeit when it was dangerous?
1: Ecuador is NOT an unstable country. where r ur facts.
2: the prper response to this shoudl be much difrent. Do u see how this stoty ended compared to other similar incidents in the very recent past? We all need to thank hashem publicly and do something..
Did you read the article?
Never underestimate your prayers or blessings …
Thank you,Hashem!
DB,Tsfat
Tooooo many stories of Jews hurting other Jews. What’s going on in this crazy world???? I don’t remember a time when so many Jews were in the news for doing criminal acts!! I will continue to pray that HaShem sends us the redemption we so desperately need.
may HaShem shower you with more than enough parnassa for a 24-hour security system. the amazing things shluchim do even in dangerous situations is just unbelievable.
thank you, you and your wife sound amazing.
How do we know that the Rebbe would approve??? Did the Rebbe give explicit permission for Ecuador? each unstable country is its own situation and you cant take directives meant for another country as the Rebbe’s definitive answer on this one. I am very concerned. Extra donations for security doesnt seem like it will cut it. Being on shlichus never meant being in physical danger.
Rabbi B”H you are back with your family and back in
the Chabad doing the great work you and your wife do on
a daily basis.
wow
during the 3 weeks that is three incidents of jew against yid. woe