In a special post-Yom Kippur edition of the "Davar Rishon" program, host Moshe Manes welcomed Chaim Stern, who miraculously survived the deadly shooting at a spring in Binyamin on the eve of the holiday.
In the heavy shadow of the severe shooting attack on the eve of the holiday at a spring in Binyamin, in which Netanel Shukrun, may Hashem avenge his blood, a father of six, was murdered, Rabbi Chaim Stern, a United Hatzalah volunteer from Modiin Illit who was present at the scene and miraculously survived, reconstructed the terrifying moments in a chilling interview.
"I arrived at the location, passed the point where the terrorist was standing. I entered the parking lot, hadn't even turned off the engine yet when suddenly I heard a shot. I opened the door, turned around, and saw a man standing on the road shooting along Route 446. At those moments there were at least six or seven vehicles there."
Manes asked: "You understand it's a terrorist, you understand you're not armed; what do you do?"
Stern replied: "He had his back to me. I saw he wasn't paying attention, shifted into reverse, and flew out of the parking lot toward Ma'ayan Meir. I warned the people there, pressed the emergency button in the vehicle, and called the police. Only when the shooting stopped did I return to the area."
As it turns out, a tracker who was on the nearby hill identified the terrorist, shot at him from a distance (about 200 meters), and wounded him in the legs, causing the terrorist to flee and preventing a mass slaughter.
Manes and Stern pointed to the difficult dilemma facing gun license holders: "When we go to the beach or a spring, there's nowhere to secure the weapon and you can't take it into the water. This is a real problem that needs a solution."
"It was a unique and special Yom Kippur," Stern concluded tearfully. "The thoughts are first of all about Divine Providence. The disaster could have ended much worse. In the end, Hashem watches over us, and each of us needs to strengthen ourselves in repentance and good deeds."
