"There's No Such Thing as Despair": The Moving Message of the Volunteer Who Found Yuval Kogan

Noam Simhi, the volunteer who located 4-year-old Yuval Kogan on Ashkelon beach, recounts the dramatic rescue moments in an interview and conveys a message of faith and confidence. Simhi describes how he found the boy sitting alone in the dunes, dehydrated and apathetic, and how divine providence accompanied the event. He emphasizes that there is no such thing as despair and calls for trust in God.

Noam Simhi, the volunteer who located 4-year-old Yuval Kogan on Ashkelon beach, recounted the dramatic rescue moments in an interview with Tal Meir. Simhi said he went out with friends on horseback from a farm in Ashdod, and after his friends gave up and returned, he and another friend continued to an unusual location. From a distance of two to three meters, they spotted Yuval sitting and looking at them. The boy was dehydrated and apathetic, unable to communicate. Simhi washed his face with cold water and calmed him down. A passing jeep helped evacuate the boy to the command post. Simhi emphasized that divine providence accompanied the event and sent a strengthening message: "There's no such thing as despair," quoting Rabbi Nachman. He called for trusting in God and understanding that He is above nature, as a four-year-old child should not have survived in desert conditions.