A Hug Can Change Your Life

There was a boy that was on the streets. He moved into Home Sweet Home, a home that I had for kids who were not from. He didn't fast on Yom Kippur for 6 [music] years. He was rough and tough. His grandfather was one of the Gedolei Hador, one of the oldest of the generation, and I felt >> [music] >> he should meet his grandfather after many years of being on the outs. I arranged for a meeting and I brought him to meet his grandfather. On the way there, he told me, you know, I really [music] respect my grandfather. I respect my grandmother, but it's very strange, you know, they don't hug. They just wave and I don't get it. He's talking about hugs, this rough, tough kid. He's talking about hugs. >> [music] >> Anyway, I brought him in, I sat down, and after 5 minutes I said, I have to go to an appointment. I'll be back in an hour. And this big gadol [music] looked at me like I don't think he was expecting private time for an hour. I slipped out, I got in the car, I called up the boy's mother. I said, >> [music] >> what's with the hugs? She said, by us, we don't really hug. We're very Chassidish. We don't hug the boys after bar mitzvah. So, I went in after at the end of the [music] hour and the boy's back was to me. I couldn't say something in front of the boy. So, I kind of felt bad, but I motioned to this gadol. I said, [music] I need to speak to you. He got up really slow and the boy went to wave goodbye to his grandmother and get some cookies, [music] and I had only a split second, and I whispered into his ear, he's yearning for a hug. And I don't know why this grandfather never hugged his grandchildren, but this is what happened. On a spin of a dime, spur of the moment, he turned [music] and he started going like this, and this boy was much taller than him. His hands were shaking and he reached up, and the boy didn't know what he wants. He pulled down this boy's head and he gave him a half a hug like that and then a kiss on the cheek. I made believe like I didn't see anything. [music] We got in the car and this rough and tough rebel is freaking out. He's like, I can't believe it. My Zaidy, >> [music] >> my Zaidy hugged me. He kissed me. I can't believe it. And I said, wow, I thought you said he never does that. And [music] he's like, he never did. And then it was quiet. As we got in the middle to Avenue J and Ocean [music] Parkway, the light was red and the boy turned to me and he said, Avi, what do you think? Maybe I should start keeping Shabbos. [music] I didn't know what to say. This boy isn't frum for at least 6 years. I said, [music] I can't tell you what to do, but maybe if your neshama is telling you something, maybe you should listen. He kept that Rosh Hashanah 2 days. He kept Shabbos [music] Shuva. He kept Yom Kippur for the first time in over 6 years. By Neilah, there were tears running down his cheeks. His siddur was wet. [music] I witnessed a miracle. He kept Shabbos. He kept the 2 days of Sukkos, Shmini Atzeres, and Simchas Torah. I gave him an aliyah in my shul, the first aliyah he had since his bar mitzvah because he had a grandfather that showed him [music] love.