Pope asks Israel cancer org.: Pray for me in Jerusalem

CEO of Rachashei Lev Shimi Gesheid responded that he hopes that "the brotherhood between all the children and nations will be not just in the oncology departments."

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Rachashei Lev NGO presents Pope France with album containing drawings by children in oncology departments in Israel (photo credit: FOTO ©VATICAN MEDIA)
Rachashei Lev NGO presents Pope France with album containing drawings by children in oncology departments in Israel
(photo credit: FOTO ©VATICAN MEDIA)
In a meeting at the Vatican between Pope Francis and Rachashei Lev, an NGO that serves as a national support center for cancer-stricken children in Israel, the head of the Catholic Church asked the NGO to "pray in Jerusalem for [him] and for all the children of the world."
Rachashei Lev is marking 30 years since its founding. The organization helps thousands of children and their families throughout Israel.
Three children suffering from cancer, Yuval Mor, 19, from Tel Aviv, Bian Nasser, 18, from Jatt, and Ava Mosmovitz, 8, from Ramla, joined officials from the organization to meet the pope. The three children are each from a different religion, representing the hundreds of Israeli children faced with illness and hardship every day.
"For 30 years, our organization has helped cancer-stricken children from Israel and is in contact with the leading medical centers in the world and with experts from multiple countries," said Shimi Gesheid, CEO of Rachashei Lev, in a press release. "We were surprised and excited when we received the invitation from the Vatican to meet with the pope that also included an invitation to children from different faiths facing the illness that doesn't differentiate between religion, race or nationality. We are all together in coexistence and a shared destiny, fighting together for life wishing for victory."
"After the pope heard from us about our operations in short and asked how the children were, he continued on, stopped and returned to us again and told me again 'Well done on your blessed operations. I ask that you pray in Jerusalem for me and for all the children of the world,'" said Gesheid.
Gesheid responded that he hopes that "the brotherhood between all the children and nations will be not just in the oncology departments, where children from all religions find themselves fighting together for their lives, but we pray that in all places in the world children will be able to live together in peace."
The envoy presented the pope with an album containing drawings by the children in oncology departments in Israel that symbolize "hopes for health, peace and love" and expresses a "feeling of childhood that sometimes, during the difficult treatments and hospitalizations, is very hard to keep, although it is so vital to recovery and victory over the disease."
"The meeting with the pope was fun and a special experience, I was excited when he gave me a necklace as a gift," said Ava.
"It was a once in a lifetime experience, I hope that the power of the message that we passed to the pope during the visit, about coexistence and friendship that exists by us in the department, will be an example to other children in the world," said Yuval.
After the meeting with the pope, the envoy met with the Jewish community in Rome, including Chief Rabbi Shmuel Ricardo Di Segni and president of the Roman Jewish community Ruth Dureghello, and were shown the great and ancient synagogue.

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The group visited the Jewish museum and heard about the history of the Roman Jewish community.
"It was an exciting meeting that marks the beginning of a special collaboration," said Gesheid. "The president of the community was very excited from meeting and getting to know the children and promised to come and visit more children in the Beit Hayeled Children’s House of Rachashei Lev in Israel, and even invited more children and families from the organization to come and visit the community. The rabbi of Rome blessed the children with a double blessing as both a rabbi and a doctor: for health, recovery and victory over the illness. We thank everyone who helped with this special day."


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