A Train to the Wailing Wall

Last month we posted a peculiar story about a train and the attempt to avoid a psychically predicted crash by changing the train’s number. We found the story in Coincidence: A Matter of Chance or Synchronicity, by Brian Inglis, which was first published in 1990, then re-published in 2012.

In the aftermath, I posted the following quote from Inglis’ book on a synchronicity Facebook page: “Life is full of coincidences, some are minor, but often, like the one above (about the railroad engine), they are extraordinary. Whether they are random events or meaningful cosmic moments which have a purpose, we don’t know—it remains a mystery. But what is certain is, a lot of people have them, and they never cease to amaze us.” – Brian Inglis

A couple of minutes later, JY, a British woman, responded this way: “The biggest trauma of my life occurred when I left someone called Brian for someone named Inglis .. And I’m currently living with a Rob MacGregor as a result of that choice … I guess even that could be a synch.”

She went on to say her housemate’s name is Rob Roy…as is mine. Then she added: “My first date with Inglis was to see the film Rob Roy (MacGregor), who my housemate is supposedly descended from.

A serial synchro there. Now about the Wailing Wall.

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We recently came across another older synchronicity book, Small Miracles: Extraordinary Coincidences from Everyday Life, by Yitta Halberstam and Judith Leventhal, published in 1993.

The book, according to the introduction, is a collection of stories of extraordinary coincidences in the lives of ordinary people. Coincidences are small miracles that can awaken us “to the rich promise of a bounteous universe and the splendor lying dormant within your soul. Coincidences are everywhere and can happen any time. When your soul is ready, they will come. All that is required is that you open your heart.” (p.xiii)

The writers seem quite religious in orientation, at one point quoting Doris Lessing: “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” Nice one. That said, we would hope that the writers did not make up stories, because the one we’re about to relate is really, really extraordinary. Take a look…

“A young Jewish man, Joey Riklis, from Cleveland, Ohio, went to visit the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem after his father had died. His father had been a survivor of the Holocaust and was an ardent practitioner of his Jewish faith. Joey had rebelled against his father’s faith and the two of them had been alienated for some time.

“He was feeling guilt and remorse over his father’s death and blamed himself for it. Joey had traveled to India and done his share of guru in hopes of finding an alternative to his Hebrew religious heritage. But nothing truly satisfied or filled his spiritual longing. So he went to Israel to explore the heritage that he had formerly spurned.

“While there, he noticed people scribbling notes on small pieces of paper and inserting them into the crevices of the Wailing Wall. He asked a young man there what this was about and was told that they were petitionery prayers.

“People believed the stones were so holy that any requests placed inside of them would be especially blessed. So Joey decided to write his own petition, addressed to his father. He wrote, ‘Dear Father, I beg you to forgive me for the pain I caused you. I loved you very much and I will never forget you. And please know that nothing that you taught me was in vain. I will not betray your family’s deaths. I promise.’

“Joey searched for an empty crevice in the Wall to place his petition. There were notes crammed and overflowing all over the place. After an hour of trying to find an empty space he finally found a spot and inserted his small note into the crack. As he did so he accidentally dislodged another that had been resting there, and it fell to the ground.

“He bent down and picked it up and was going to put it back when he was overcome by a powerful impulse to open the note and read it, which he did. Here is what he read: My Dear Son Joey, If you should ever happen to come to Israel and somehow miraculously find this note, this is what I want you to know: I always loved you even when you hurt me, and I will never stop loving you. You are, and always will be, my beloved son. And Joey, please know that I forgive you for everything, and only hope that you in turn will forgive a foolish old man.” Signed, Adam Riklis, Cleveland, Ohio.”

Yeah, really astonishing. Joey, where are you? Please tell us that this really happened. I hope it did.