What began as a routine post-army trip to the Philippines quickly turned into a frightening ordeal for two young Israelis from Jerusalem, ages 21 and 23, who were arrested after jumping from a small bridge into a river on the island of Siargao. Friends and relatives of the two quickly turned to Chabad on the island for help, fearing they could remain stuck in detention far from home.

“They’re good kids who went to the Philippines on a post-army trip,” a relative said, according to Mako. “They didn’t know that it was forbidden to jump from the bridge into the river. Right now, they’re trying to help get them released from detention. They are traumatized by the whole event.” Another source involved in the effort said the two were being made into “scapegoats.”

Speaking on Kol Berama, Siargao’s Rabbi Mendel Spindler said he received urgent calls on Sunday morning telling him that two Israelis had been taken to the police station and needed immediate help. He said he rushed to the station and said the incident had been misrepresented from the start.

“It is important for me to point out that there is no sign or notice saying it is forbidden to jump from that bridge,” Rabbi Spindler said. “This was pure harassment of two innocent Israelis who did what everyone does there.” He added that locals and tourists jump there regularly, that no warning had been given beforehand, and that it was “something very common,” not some unusual or exceptional act.

Rabbi Spindler said the timing and the broader atmosphere on the island only made matters worse. “We are now in a very, very busy period here with Israelis,” he said, noting that the Chabad House had just hosted a Pesach Seder for 1,100 people. “Automatically, all the fire is directed at the Israelis.” Rabbi Spindler said the authorities “turned the two into scapegoats” and decided to make an example of them.

He said he tried to intervene as soon as he arrived at the station, but was told there was nothing to discuss. “We got to the station, and I immediately tried to speak to the officer,” Rabbi Spindler said. “They told me there was nothing to talk about. We are not willing to release them until a lawyer comes and gives the approval with the formal protocol.” Because the arrest happened on a Sunday, when offices were closed, he said the matter dragged on instead of being resolved quickly. “That is where the whole situation started,” he said. “It just went on day after day.”

The arrest came during an especially intense period for Chabad in Siargao. Rabbi Spindler said the Chabad House, which opened about two and a half years ago, has become a major address for Israelis visiting the island. Hosting a Seder for 1,100 people, he said, was a huge logistical operation “at the edge of the world,” one that begins long in advance with arranging matzos, wine, and everything else needed for Yom Tov.

At the same time, he said, they have also been feeling a rise in anti-Israel and antisemitic hostility, with ugly messages sent through the Chabad House’s social media pages, including “Free Palestine” and “Heil Hitler.”

In response, they have been working to strengthen their ties with the local population through community initiatives, including food distribution and beach cleanups. “The Rebbe teaches that the answer to darkness is not to fight it with force, but to add more light,” Rabbi Spindler said. “That is what we are doing.”

“Despite all the antisemitism, we know what the Rebbe says,” Rabbi Spindler said. “The more darkness there is, you do not drive it away with blows. You drive it away by adding more light.” And, he added simply, “We try to help every Jew.” Speaking on Chof-Ches Nissan, Rabbi Spindler also pointed to the day’s call to do all one can to bring the geulah, saying that when a Jew is in trouble, you do not stand aside, you act.

As of now, the two Israelis remain in custody and have still not been released.