A collective worldwide sigh of relief greeted the incredibly good news that after 17 days, all 12 members of the Thai soccer team and their coach, along with a brave physician, have been safely removed from deep inside a water-soaked cave in northern Thailand.  The joy of the rescue of the final four boys, their 25-year-old coach and the doctor who went in to help is of course tempered by sadness over the death of a veteran diver, a former Thai Navy SEAL. He lost consciousness and asphyxiated early Friday after delivering supplies of air along the route.

It was a white-knuckling race against time as the oxygen supply ran increasingly low and monsoon rains threatened the rescue mission.

With each announced rescue of groups of the boys, who ranged in age from 11 to 17, emotions ran high not just among the Thai families of the Wild Boars soccer team, but the entire global village. In these times of bitter divisiveness over nearly every aspect of public life, it was inspirational to be part of a worldwide unity, the truly Global Village, who were rooting for the successful conclusion that was achieved.

We note with pride that according to the Jerusalem Post and other sources, Israel offered to help early in the process and that Israeli technology played a key role in assuring the success of the rescue.

A hearty yasher koach to the brave rescuers who negotiated the dark and dank corridors to reach the trapped boys and their coach, and let us derive from this harrowing experience the importance of pulling together to achieve the prayed-for positive result.