Today is Yom Hashoah. It is a day designated to Holocaust Remembrance. In the spirit of this special day I would like to share a story with you.
Over on Cross-Currents, Rabbi Adlerstein has linked to a very powerful article in the Detroit News.
Most Orthodox Jews have heard the song called “The Man From Vilna” by Abie Rottenberg. It tells a powerful story in post liberation Europe. It was the day of Simchas Torah, a grand celebration at the completion of the weekly Torah readings. Typically, the day is marked by feverish dancing and rejoicing for hours while holding the Sefer Torah Scroll. However, on this dark day the synagogue in Vilna had no Sefer Torah. They had been destroyed by the Nazis.
A Jewish Russian soldier spotted a young boy. This was an anomoly as most young children were killed in the holocaust. But this boy was hidden in a convent during the war and had survived. The soldier scooped up the boy and danced with the boy as if he were the Sefer Torah Scroll. His act symbolized to all that although the physical Torah Scrolls were destroyed and Six Million Jews had been killed, the Torah and Judaism live on through the next generation of children.
After that moment, they never saw each other again.
Until last week.
They finally met for the first time in 65 years. They both remembered that incredible day and that poignant moment all this time. It was a very emotional reunion.
Like many great stories, people thought of this as a legend, with perhaps some basis in reality. But these two men confirmed its veracity. It also identifies the two men as prominent Jewish leaders. Abe Foxman was the boy and he is the New York based director of Anti-Defamation league and Leo Grossman, was the soldier and became the Rabbi of Shaarey Shamayim Synagogue in Oak Park Michigan. Their story and inspiration became inspiration for others as well as action in their lives for others.
I recommend reading the article in the Detroit News.
Someone has taken the song and made a homemade music video. I have included the video below:
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