I assumed that this time, there would be no stories of kiddush Hashem. But how wrong I was
ON Simchas Torah 2023, the illusion of control was shattered and a wave of emunah swept across the land, as Jews all over began to reconnect with their core identity. And then, Hashem drew me into the saga as well, allowing me to stand alongside survivors and hostage families in their darkest hours. Then came the book — not a rehashing of the news, but a story that will be etched in the gold letters of Jewish history, deepening the bonds that connect us to one another and to our Father in Heaven.
With the release of the remaining hostages, many of the stories have since had a happy ending, while others have had tragic closure. Either way, it’s my privilege to continue to share them with you.
Whenever I speak to secular students about the Holocaust, they’re always surprised when I share stories of spiritual greatness, unfathomable sacrifice, and unwavering faith in those darkest of times. And then I’m invariably asked, “How can you give a positive spin to the Holocaust, when people behaved like animals, selling their souls to the devil?!”
And then I share with them the other side of the story: about those who rose to the level of angels. Their examples grant us both the privilege and the responsibility to learn from their greatness.
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