Banishing the Illusions
Meytal M.
I arrived to the seminar in Yaffo after insistent pleading from my friends. The house-mother, Esther, received me with great warmth and I felt comfortable. We sat down, ate and it was pleasant, but when the lecture started, I went outside and burst out crying. Esther followed me out, hugged me and tried to calm me down. I felt my heart was opening up and for the first time I was recounting what I had been through. This was the beginning of my rescue…
My father passed out suddenly two years ago. Since then I became depressed, I got angry at everyone and I quarreled with my mother and sisters who I felt didn't understand me. One night, I walked out the house in anger and walked around the streets of Yaffo when suddenly a car passed by and a boy (a nice boy) called me. He spoke nicely and captivated me (especially at that difficult time). He invited me to eat in a restaurant and I agreed because I was very hungry.
During the evening I told him about what was coming over me. He encouraged me, gave me 200 shekel and promised to help me. I felt he was my savior and that's how the relationship was fastened. He bought me a cell phone and presents and in general I felt that somebody really loved me and respected me (for the first time in my life).
Every evening we would meet, until the late hours of the night, (whilst he would say almost nothing about himself).
After a week and a half that we were going out, I revealed to my astonishment that he was indeed an "Arab"! I was shocked and terrified and I didn't know what to do. He noticed this, was terribly angry and threatened me. I spent a night full of panic and fear.
At 7.00 in the morning he called and passed by to pick me up. He treated me nicely, bought me expensive make-up and perfume and promised that it will be okay.
I felt love towards him and that he was important to my life and so I ignored the fact that he was an Arab.
When my mother found out that I was going out with an Arab boy, she expelled me from the house. This was a black day for me, of quarrels and anger that had never been before.
At 2.00 in the morning, I called him; he arrived at 5.00 and picked me up. We travelled to Eilat for a week to a hotel and it was great. I cut off connections with my mother completely. Inside me I was really terrified of the fact that I had connections with an Arab. I thought about the future and this frightened me; I felt open with him and I dared to speak with him openly and straightforward. He got angry with me and when I burst out, he smacked me and threatened me. I felt humiliated and powerless, I just cried.
I had nowhere to go and felt alone in the world. I felt that without him I had no life.
From that moment his attitude towards me changed. He would humiliate and beat me at every opportunity.
After some time had passed, I travelled with him and I didn't know where we were going. After a few hours I realized that we were in an Arab village. He stopped next to a house and said to me: From this moment on you will know your place and woe to you if I hear one complaint. I entered solemnly into the house. A lady wrapped in a veil came out with 4 little children (I understood it was his wife). He told her in Arabic (I understand a bit of Arabic): I brought you a present, a Jewish slave. Abuse her. I trembled from fright and wanted to die…
Out of anger, I shouted at him. He got furious like a wild animal, smacked me and beat my face. I was totally shocked, blood-stricken, humiliated and terrified. I couldn't breathe out of fear. He cursed me and left the house.
The lady didn't speak with me at all; she cruelly enslaved me with the housework, while I was dripping blood, with no food or drink. I cried non-stop. He arrived at night and shouted at me: You were a queen and was disrespectful, now you will be a humiliated slave.
I cried and shouted at him: What have you done to me? You tricked me! I cursed him and told him to return me to Yaffo immediately. He got so annoyed, especially since I had humiliated him next to his wife. He dragged me outside with unbearable blows, threw me into a storage room and locked me up. I fainted and spent a night of torture and hunger, terrible physical pain, and more than that was the emotional pain, what had I done to myself…
In the morning, I noticed that the door was open and decided that I'm daring to escape. I ran out of the village, and a lovely girl stopped for me and took me to Tel Aviv. I went to my friend's house. I didn't tell anyone what I had been through, I was terrified that he would search for me and pursue me. I called my mother (maybe to appease her and return to her) but she just shouted at me, cursed me and said, "Don't speak with me ever again", and put the phone down.
My friend whose house I was in took me to the seminar, and since then my life has changed… Esther (the house-mother), managed to make peace between me and my mother and sisters. I very much enjoyed the seminar, but the boy was searching for me and I was scared that he would find me.
Esther, together with the rabbonim of the organization hashivenu, arranged me a place to live in Be'er Sheva where I fit in well to the seminar of hashivenu. I made good connections with Hila, who helps me tons.
I have been at the seminar already 4 months and I'm even a helper for the activities in the area, to bring girls to the seminar, so that they shouldn't fall into the trap as I had fallen, into the hands of these wicked people.
I thank Hashem that I managed to escape at the last minute, for the organization hashivenu and its magnificent activities that support me and saved me from the terrible torture. Not only did they save me, but my future children be'h, who could have grown up as Arab children, G-d forbid.
There is one thing I will regret all my life: that I didn't reach Seminar Hashivenu earlier, before I went through all this anguish which left me with terrible scars! I envy those girls who are now in the seminar, who arrived to the rescue without the downfall because once one falls into their trap it's very difficult. I pity the girls who got carried away with Arab boys and are deep into the problem with no way back. It's an eternal suffering, forever, also for their children…
