Freed Hostage Judith Raanan Meets Trump, Presents an Award for Strength, Resilience,

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𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐚𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐳𝐚, 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢 𝐃𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬, 𝐅𝐋. President-elect Donald J. Trump joined the 13th Annual Chabad Golf Classic held annually at the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida, by Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens on Monday, December 9, 2024. The guest of honor of the event was Judith Raanan, an American who was taken hostage with her daughter by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. Both were thankfully freed 2 weeks later. In anticipation of the event, event organizers Rabbi Dovid and Chana Vigler sent messages to Trump through members of their Chabad that are close to him, letting him know that “a freed American hostage will be at his private golf course and would love to meet him and hand deliver a special gift she had made for him.” In addition, the Viglers prepared a special award for President Trump to present to Raanan, congratulating her courage and faith during her captivity. Nearly 100 golfers came to support the Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens at a golf event that raises funds for life-saving surveillance drones for the IDF as well as Jewish education scholarships in the area. As the golfers waited for the cannon blast to launch the start of the golf day, Rabbi Vigler asked them to all turn around as President Trump was about to arrive. Robert D. Burke MD, co-chair of the Chabad Golf Classic, went over to the President when he finished playing golf and whispered to him that the hostage had just arrived and was waiting to greet him. The President immediately began to walk to the tent in which she was waiting on the exquisite golf course lawn. As Trump approached, he greeted Raanan warmly and listened patiently as she presented her artwork—the mother of King David. Her voice choked with emotion as she told the President-elect about her traumatic experiences under her Hamas captors. “They’re monsters, aren’t they,” Trump commented. She then told him the story of how her captors asked her name. “Ismi Yahudit – I am Judith,” she said, which also means “Jewish.” The terrorists then told her, “You can’t escape your name.” Trump was extremely attentive and interested in hearing what she had to say. He stood humbly, allowing her to speak freely, only commenting once she was finished. After she whispered something in her ear, after which he said, “I cannot say that publicly.” He then thanked her for being here and announced to the large crowd that he is working very hard to get the hostages released. He referenced what he has said publicly before that the hostages had better be back before January 20, or else. The president-elect then made it clear that he had every intention of doing everything it takes to bring the hostages home. Mrs. Vigler then asked President Trump to present Raanan with an award congratulating her bravery. Trump gave it to her “In recognition of her strength, resilience and faith, and in gratitude to G-d Almighty, for protecting and rescuing her along with her beautiful daughter. With prayers that G-d have mercy upon her and on the remaining hostages.” Rabbi Vigler, spiritual leader of the Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens and organizer of the event, told COLlive.com: “It was deeply moving to see how during a time of war in Israel, the leader of the free world —the President of the United States of America—stands so proudly and unapologetically with Israel, expressing such strong support for the safety and wellbeing of the Jewish People.” He added, “Can you imagine what would have happened if the president of America would have stood by the Jewish people during the Holocaust or if the King of Spain would have supported the Jews during the Spanish Inquisition? It’s mind-blowing! The golfers were talking about it all day long!” Mrs. Vigler said: “It was a great honor to have the president come to our Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens event. To see a president echo the words of the Rebbe that it is only through strength that we will achieve peace, feels like it’s Moshiach’s times!” As the 13th Annual Chabad Golf Classic was raising funds for IDF surveillance drones, Raanan spoke about how her captors forced her and her fellow hostages to be completely silent, whenever IDF drones were near them, as they could easily have been identified and rescued. She encouraged the participants to donate surveillance drones to the cause to help bring our hostages back home. In a spontaneous appeal, nearly 75 drones were donated at the event. Life-saving surveillance drones can be donated at https://www.jewishgardens.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/6407199/jewish/Chabad-Israel-Emergency-Fund.htm