Dear Klal Yisrael,

ברוך מתיר אסורים

Binyomin (Ben) Chasin, בנימין בן לימור, who endured imprisonment in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, has ברוך השם just been released.

He was originally sentenced to death.

Against extraordinary odds, and after immense effort, including a “sulcha” concluded last October, his life was spared.

Now, the famous, world-renowned tzaddik and international attorney Avrum Alan Lowy, together with askonim from New York and Arizona who have worked on Ben’s case for 11 years—flying regularly to Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, near the Iranian border, a dangerous and high-risk area—have just escorted Ben out of prison. ברוך השם

They are together right now, arranging to leave for Israel.

But the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim does not end when the prison door opens.

A man who has survived such horror does not simply resume a normal life. Binyomin is walking out of prison with virtually nothing—literally just the clothing he has been wearing in prison—while carrying the physical and emotional consequences of what he endured.

After 11 years of imprisonment, he now faces the enormous task of rebuilding a life that almost ended before he was given the chance to begin again.

Ben is only 31 years young. He has a full life ahead of him—a life that, ברוך השם, he has now been given the opportunity to finally live. Our mission is not only to celebrate his freedom, but to give him the chance to build that life.

B”H, there is now a beautiful path waiting for him.

Binyomin has been accepted to Yeshiva Aish HaTorah in Israel, where he will study and live during this crucial first year of freedom. He will be surrounded by Torah, community, structure, and people who can help him rediscover safety, dignity, and belonging.

After years defined by fear and imprisonment, imagine what it means for him to enter a Beis Midrash as a free man, to put on tefillin, learn Torah, and begin rebuilding his life among his own people.

His Immediate Needs

Binyomin is starting over with virtually nothing. He has no clothing, no basic necessities, no home of his own, and no means right now to support himself or begin a normal life.

We urgently need to provide him with clothing and shoes, tefillin and basic Jewish necessities, a place to live, food, transportation, and all the everyday basics a person needs simply to start living again.

After everything he has endured, he will also need professional therapy, medical and emotional support, and rehabilitation as he adjusts to freedom and begins the long process of healing.

He will need our support throughout this crucial first year as he learns, heals, and slowly begins rebuilding an independent life.

As we approach the Yamim Noraim, when we ask Hashem for life, mercy, and another chance, we have been given an extraordinary opportunity to help give exactly those things to another Jew.

Ben has already been given the miracle of survival. Now it is upon us to help transform survival into a life.

For Those Who Don’t Know Ben’s Story

Binyomin’s ordeal began more than a decade ago. After returning to Iraqi Kurdistan, where he had been born, he found himself caught in an unimaginable situation during the dangerous years of ISIS.

Following an altercation in which a local man later died, Binyomin was arrested and imprisoned. He endured years of extremely difficult conditions and was ultimately sentenced to death.

Through tremendous siyata d’Shmaya, years of tireless work by attorneys and askonim, countless tefillos, and the generosity of Klal Yisrael, a sulcha was eventually reached and his life was spared.

Now, after approximately 11 years of imprisonment, ברוך השם, Binyomin has finally walked out of prison a free man.

And to all of you who helped originally, and who generously contributed toward the extraordinary efforts that ultimately helped spare Ben from his death sentence—you have a tremendous part in this miracle and an enormous zechus.

Chazal teach us:

המתחיל במצוה אומרים לו גמור

“One who begins a mitzvah is encouraged to bring it to completion.”

You helped save his life. Now we have the opportunity to help him rebuild it.

Binyomin does not have anyone else to financially support him. Right now, Klal Yisrael is his support system.

And please know: every dollar contributed goes directly toward helping Binyomin. There are no commissions, no fundraising fees, and no one taking a percentage.

Every dollar goes straight toward his immediate and ongoing needs—clothing, tefillin, food, housing, basic necessities, transportation, therapy, rehabilitation, and helping him establish a new life in Eretz Yisrael.

This is not about raising money for an organization. This is about taking care of a Yid who has just walked out of prison with nothing and giving him the basic tools to live, heal, and rebuild his life.

Please consider participating generously in this mitzvah. Every contribution, large or small, will help Binyomin take his first steps into freedom and begin his life again.

May the merit of helping redeem, restore, and rebuild one Jewish life bring bracha, refuah, and yeshuos to you and your families, and may we soon merit to see every Jew in captivity returned home in safety.

כתיבה וחתימה טובה ושנה טובה ומתוקה

With profound gratitude.