"People Don't Usually Survive This": A Chanukah Miracle

Sometimes, a person experiences a moment so powerful that it becomes impossible to forget. Looking back, every detail feels orchestrated from Above, a reminder that Hashem watches over us even when we cannot understand what lies ahead.

Our personal miracle took place during Chanukah two years ago.

At the time, my husband and I were spending Shabbat with his parents in Beitar Illit. Anyone familiar with the drive knows that parts of the route are challenging. The road is narrow, winding, and consists of a single lane in each direction. Unfortunately, there are always drivers who choose to take dangerous risks just to save a few moments on the road.

My husband is an extremely careful driver who follows traffic laws and drives responsibly. It is also important to mention that during that Chanukah, after six long years of waiting, I was finally in my third month of pregnancy. We were filled with gratitude and excitement.

A Feeling I Could Not Ignore

On Saturday night, after Shabbat ended, we began the drive home.

The roads were wet from the rain that had fallen throughout Shabbat. Darkness covered the route, and drivers had to contend with poor visibility, sharp curves, slippery pavement, and impatient motorists.

Almost as soon as we started driving, I felt that something was wrong.

I could not explain it, but I was overcome with a sense of fear. I found myself reciting Tehillim nonstop. My husband was surprised. We had traveled this road many times before and knew it well. Yet I could not focus on anything else.

The farther we drove, the stronger the feeling became.

In our car, we keep a small charity box. Before every trip, we place a few coins inside as a prayer for a safe journey, and when we arrive, we give again as an expression of gratitude. That night was no different. We gave tzedakah before setting out and planned to do so again when we reached home.

Still, I could not calm myself.

Everything Changed in an Instant

Then, in a matter of seconds, everything happened.

A car came up behind us and began driving extremely close to our bumper. For several minutes it remained there, and then the driver apparently decided to attempt a dangerous pass.

On a winding road, in rainy weather and poor visibility, it was a reckless decision.

As the vehicle pulled into the opposite lane, we suddenly saw headlights approaching from the other direction.

My husband instinctively eased off the gas and slowed down slightly, hoping to give the driver enough room to return safely to his lane.

But it was already too late.

The collision happened almost instantly.

The impact was tremendous. The passing vehicle was thrown into the air and flipped completely over our car before crashing into the ditch beside the road.

The Miracle We Witnessed

What happened next still leaves me speechless.

When we got out of our car, the entire front windshield was shattered.

Yet aside from a small scratch on the palm of my hand, neither of us was injured.

The young men in the passing vehicle survived as well. The driver suffered a broken leg, but beyond that, they walked away from the accident.

Even the couple traveling in the oncoming car, who had suddenly found themselves facing a vehicle speeding directly toward them, were saved.

The more we thought about it, the more we understood the magnitude of the miracle.

If my husband had not slowed down at the exact moment the other driver pulled out to pass, our position on the road would have been slightly different. The flipping vehicle would not have struck the front of our car and windshield. Instead, it could have landed directly on top of us.

That small decision, made in a split second, changed everything.

"People Don't Usually Walk Away From This"

After the accident, we stood on the side of the road, shaken and struggling to process what had happened.

A police officer approached us and asked why we were standing in the area, explaining that emergency personnel were trying to evacuate the injured.

I told him that we had also been involved in the accident and that I was three months pregnant.

He looked at us silently.

Then he walked to the front of our vehicle and examined the damage.

After a moment, he turned back toward us with wide eyes and said, "I have no idea how you got out of this, but from what I see here, people usually do not walk away alive from an accident like this."

Lighting the Chanukah Candles With Gratitude

We finally arrived home in the early hours of the morning.

At around 3:30 a.m., we lit the Chanukah candles.

The emotions of the night overwhelmed us. We stood there crying, thanking Hashem for the incredible kindness He had shown us.

What had begun as an ordinary drive home had turned into a powerful reminder of how quickly everything can change, and how great Hashem's protection can be.

To this day, whenever I think about that night, I remember not only the fear, but the overwhelming gratitude that followed. It was a Chanukah miracle our family will never forget.