I once knew of a man who served as the chazan (cantor) at an Orthodox shul.
He was an outgoing old man, full of fire and vigor and twinkling eyes.
I remember his exuberant joy whenever a child was born to one of his congregants; he grinned and moved his arm like a fan whose team just made another score.
The congregation was mostly modern Orthodox, and he certainly wasn't, but he treated everyone like family.
I was surprised to hear he was a Holocaust survivor because I never detected sadness or bitterness in his fiery warmth and gregarious sense of humor.
Furthermore, he'd been engaged to a very good frum girl before the War. Miraculously, they both survived and found each other in all the chaos that followed World War II.
Unfortunately, while she remained the same sweet person she was before, the traumatic events had affected her mind and she wasn't 100%.
Yet he married her anyway.
A promise is a promise.
Maybe he also felt responsible for her and wanted to protect her. Things were so chaotic in Europe at that time, maybe he worried how she would manage and take care of herself.
I don't know.
But they established a good life for themselves after leaving Europe and defied Amalek by having several children together.
You'll never read a book about him; he'll never be famous.
He'll never blog, open up a Facebook or Twitter account, or be seen on LinkedIn.
But he's obviously a very special Yid and I just wanted to let you know he exists.
There are "regular" Jews quietly doing great things.
Ashreinu!
He was an outgoing old man, full of fire and vigor and twinkling eyes.
I remember his exuberant joy whenever a child was born to one of his congregants; he grinned and moved his arm like a fan whose team just made another score.
The congregation was mostly modern Orthodox, and he certainly wasn't, but he treated everyone like family.
I was surprised to hear he was a Holocaust survivor because I never detected sadness or bitterness in his fiery warmth and gregarious sense of humor.
Furthermore, he'd been engaged to a very good frum girl before the War. Miraculously, they both survived and found each other in all the chaos that followed World War II.
Unfortunately, while she remained the same sweet person she was before, the traumatic events had affected her mind and she wasn't 100%.
Yet he married her anyway.
A promise is a promise.
Maybe he also felt responsible for her and wanted to protect her. Things were so chaotic in Europe at that time, maybe he worried how she would manage and take care of herself.
I don't know.
But they established a good life for themselves after leaving Europe and defied Amalek by having several children together.
You'll never read a book about him; he'll never be famous.
He'll never blog, open up a Facebook or Twitter account, or be seen on LinkedIn.
But he's obviously a very special Yid and I just wanted to let you know he exists.
There are "regular" Jews quietly doing great things.
Ashreinu!
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