Shliach’s Kidney Donation Leads To Meaningful Tefillin

When Rabbi Yossi Swued, a 27-year-old shliach, decided to donate a kidney, he saw it as a simple act of kindness. But at the hospital, an unexpected discovery led to yet another Mitzvah and turned it into an especially meaningful moment.

By Anash.org reporter

When Yossi, a 27-year-old Chabad shliach, decided to donate a kidney, he saw it as a simple act of kindness. But at the hospital, an unexpected discovery, led to yet another Mitzvah and turned it into an especially meaningful moment.

Rabbi Yossi Swued is a Chabad shliach at Western University in London, Ontario, and the father of two young children. On Thursday, he underwent surgery to donate a kidney to a stranger that he had never met, inspired by a personal chain of examples. “I was inspired to become a kidney donor after seeing friends and six cousins do the same,” says Yossi. “I am very thankful to Hashem for giving me this opportunity, and especially grateful to my wife for her support during this process.”

The kidney recipient, Ronit, is a single mother whose daughter was only 15 when she was diagnosed with kidney failure. Through the support of Renewal – a Jewish organization dedicated to facilitating kidney donations throughout the country – Ronit found hope and ultimately, a match. “I feel extremely fortunate to have heard about Renewal,” she says. “Their support kept me going and gave me hope that one day I would find my kidney match. I felt that I was not alone – there was help on the way and that dialysis was not a horrible life sentence for me. I will never forget when I got the call that a donor had been found; my daughter and I cried together, overwhelmed with emotion.”

Last month, she met the Swued’s for the first time. “I met my incredible donor and the amazing Renewal team, whose kindness and dedication made what once felt impossible a reality. Words are not enough to express how grateful I am.”

But the story didn’t end there.

At the hospital, Yossi discovered that his doctor – the one who performed the transplant – was Jewish. The news sparked a conversation and ultimately led to the doctor donning tefillin with Yossi right there in the hospital.

For Swued, it was a powerful reminder of what shlichus is all about: finding a spark anywhere, even in a hospital setting. “It is a big zechus to be able to give a new lease on life to another,” Rabbi Swued said. Ultimately, he gave new life not only to the woman in need of a kidney but also to the doctor, rekindling his Jewish neshoma.