The Tie-Breaker Vote That Saved 17,000 Jews

During the civil war in Ethiopia, Israel launched a daring mission to airlift 17,000 Ethiopian Jews to safety — Project Solomon. To make it happen, they needed permission from the Ethiopian government. After tough negotiations, the Ethiopian Prime Minister agreed, but he added one condition: Israel could only move forward if President George H.W. Bush sent a letter officially recognizing him as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. This was a huge roadblock, as the U.S. had never recognized the Ethiopian government.

In a desperate plea, Israel turned to the U.S. for help. President Bush was torn, and after a discussion with his cabinet, they took a vote. The decision was evenly split, and the outcome came down to one final vote — the tie-breaker. That tie-breaker was Colin Powell. He stood up and told a touching story. A fire had broken out, trapping three children in a burning building with no way out. When it seemed like there would be no way to save them, a man passing by rushed into the flames and rescued them. When the children’s parents returned, overwhelmed with gratitude, they asked how they could repay him. The man, who was Ethiopian, replied, “I’m a Jew, and Jews don’t sell Mitzvos.”

Powell then revealed that he had been one of the three children in that fire. He explained that the man who had saved his life was the reason he was still alive today. Now, it was his turn to do a mitzvah. He cast the deciding vote that allowed the rescue of the 17,000 Ethiopian Jews.

Mitzvah Goreres Mitzvah — one mitzvah leads to another. The man who risked his life to save three children became the reason for saving thousands of lives. It’s a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can cause huge changes, often in ways we could have never imagined. Never underestimate the power of your Mitzvos!