A Double Miracle in Ashkelon
In what can only be described as divine providence manifesting twice, Yad Michael Synagogue in Ashkelon experienced not just one miracle, but two identical miracles on two separate occasions. Each time, the same two extraordinary events unfolded: no worshippers were present when Hamas rockets struck, and despite devastating damage throughout the building, the Holy Ark and Torah scrolls remained untouched.
1995: A new synagogue was dedicated by Rabbi Yosef Sharvit – Ashkelon’s Chief Rabbi for over 50 years and member of Israel’s Chief Rabbinical Council. The synagogue was named after Michael Sharvit, who fell during the Yom Kippur War. Michael fought in a tank unit on the southern front, as part of a reconnaissance unit in Sharon’s division. With his unit, he endured difficult defensive battles, and on October 16th 1973, during the breakthrough battle to establish a bridgehead on the western bank of the Suez Canal, he was hit and fell.
The Holy Ark and synagogue furniture were crafted by Lavi.
May 16, 2021: Just hours before the Shavuot holiday evening prayer, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets at southern Israeli communities. The synagogue suffered a direct hit at the junction between the roof and wall. The rocket penetrated the synagogue wall but miraculously spared the Holy Ark and furniture. In what would later be recognized as the first part of a repeating miracle, not a single congregant was present during the attack. The congregants, none of whom were injured, cleaned the synagogue space and prepared it for the holiday evening prayer. The service was held as scheduled, but an engineer who arrived immediately after the holiday prohibited entry to the synagogue. For about six months, community members prayed in the synagogue courtyard.
October 8, 2023 – Saturday night at 2:15 AM: Yad Michael Synagogue again suffered a direct rocket hit. The missile penetrated from the ceiling into the center of the synagogue, causing extensive damage. In an astonishing repetition of divine protection, the exact same miracle occurred again: no worshippers were present, and despite the massive destruction all around, the Holy Ark stood untouched—as if protected by an invisible shield. The roof, all air conditioners, pergola, acoustic ceiling, prayer leader’s podium and surrounding benches were damaged. Windows disintegrated. In the women’s section, artistic “vitrage” partitions were broken to pieces. Even the flooring was damaged. Yet the Holy Ark and Torah scrolls remained untouched.
Following this impact, the synagogue was inspected by a property tax engineer. Renovations began in January 2024. By Rosh Hashanah 2024, the synagogue
reopened for prayer, though completion of all building and furniture details continued until January 2025.
Lavi Furniture Industries, familiar with the synagogue since building its original furniture, was called to restore the damage. Our craftsmen rebuilt the prayer leader’s platform, seating benches, and bookshelves. The prayer book stands were equipped with a multi-position prayer book shelf that improves reading comfort while sitting and standing, and can be positioned horizontally when laying tefillin – a technical addition improving human engineering in the prayer environment, that we have developed in 2024.
Shimon Barnes – treasurer and signatory of the synagogue says: “What we witnessed can only be described as a deliberate sign from above. The same double miracle occurred twice: first, both times the attacks happened when nobody was in the synagogue; and second, both times the Holy Ark and Torah scrolls remained perfectly intact despite everything around them being damaged. The statistical probability of this happening twice by chance is virtually impossible. This is divine protection revealing itself through identical miracles repeating.”
