Gedaliah Ben-Shimon, the chairman of the Religious Council of Ramat Gan, who was critically injured in a stabbing attack on Thursday in Ramat Gan, regained consciousness on Tuesday morning at Ichilov Hospital and is now communicating with his family.

Upon hearing the good news, the Sephardi Rav of Bnei Brak, HaGaon HaRav Masoud Ben Shimon, went to the hospital to visit his nephew.

His wife wrote earlier today: “Good news — my husband woke up this morning and is communicating with us. We have witnessed great nissim. I want to thank everyone for the tefillos, the concern, and the care. B’ezrat Hashem, we hope that soon he will stand strong on his feet again —Gedalya ben Yeshua.”

As previously reported, Ben Shimon was stabbed last Thursday afternoon on Bialik Street in Ramat Gan, near the offices of the Religious Council, and was critically wounded. He was rushed to Ichilov Medical Center with multiple stab wounds and underwent life-saving surgery.

Documentation from security cameras shows the terrorist, an Arab man in his 20s, emerging from behind Ben Shimon and stabbing him again and again. He then fled the scene.

Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri and Director-General of the Ministry of Religious Services Yehuda Avidan rushed to the hospital to stand by the family and ensure Ben Shimon received proper medical care.

After the surgery, Deri said, alongside Prof. Eli Sprecher, director-general of the hospital: “There was a very great neis here. Reb Gedalya is from a family of great tzaddikim. I heard from the doctors about his severe condition when he entered surgery, and b’Chasdei Shamayim, succeeded in saving his life.”

The attacker, a 20-year-old resident of Jatt, an Arab village of northern Israel, was apprehended minutes after the attack about 300 meters from the scene. The Tel Aviv District Police commander stated that the knife allegedly used in the attack was recovered, along with clothing the suspect had discarded while attempting to flee.

The public is asked to continue davening for the refuah sheleimah of Gedalya ben Yeshua b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)