A mohel had been to Japan, to perform a bris there, shared the following story of his visit there by a bris:

‘While in Japan, I visited the city of Kobe. Kobe is the fourth largest city in Japan, and, as an important port city, serves as a prominent business center. While in Kobe, I was taken to one street, where I beheld an incredible sight! In the middle of the street was a shul, and the shul was the only structure standing on the entire block. Like an oasis in the middle of the desert, the shul stood alone surrounded by rubble.

‘My guides shared with me the amazing story of the shul: In 1995, Kobe was hit by a powerful earthquake (otherwise known as the great Hanshin earthquake), in which over 6400 people lost their lives, and much of the city was flattened. This particular block was not spared the devastation, as the numerous skyscrapers in and around it were leveled. Only the shul remained intact amongst all of the ruin, with only a single crack in the wall, reaching from above the aron Kodesh until the ceiling, bearing witness to the extraordinary salvation. The local gentiles also recognized the supernatural survival of the shul, and they dubbed it “the miracle synagogue”.

‘Upon further research, I learned of the remarkable story behind the story of the shul: In the 1950’s or 60’s, Kobe attracted many Jewish merchants, who wanted to take advantage of its’ booming economy, and they decided to build a shul. One of the merchants was a Lubavitcher chosid, and he offered to request the Rebbe’s brocho for their undertaking. The next time that he was in NY, he went into the Rebbe, holding the blueprints for the planned shul, and asked for a brocho. As a matter of routine, he handed the Rebbe the eight pages of blueprint.

The Rebbe perused the pages, and then, to the surprise of the chosid, asked “And where is the mikvah?”

The chosid was caught off guard, and stammered “There was no room to put in a mikvah.”

The Rebbe quickly turned to the 3^rd page, and, - with the skill of a professional architect, - penciled in a mikvah into one spot on the page, remarking “Right here there is room for a mikva!”

The chosid was so overwhelmed that he immediately acquiesced, promising the Rebbe that he would ensure that they would indeed include a mikvah in the shul. The Rebbe then gave his brocho, and added: “By building a mikvah in the shul, the Shul will have a kiyum [will be sustained]!”

Only in 1995 was the meaning of the Rebbe’s prophetic words realized!