RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE BLINK OF DARKNESS

A lesson of life

By Carine

We have recently watched a righteous among the nations save the life of a little baby from the hands of terrorists in Mumbai – Sandra Samuel, the incredible nanny risked her life in order to save little Moishe. Miraculously, G-d has placed this heroine in little Moishe’s life.

We have no doubts that Moishe’s own mother gave her own life up for saving her precious baby Moishe; Rivka Holtzberg probably did everything to secure her baby and in despair called for Sandra’s help.

The super righteous non-Jewish nanny didn’t think twice to save his life. The fact that we can still see righteous people’s outstanding actions in the blink of darkness throughout history is comforting.

Not long ago, the world has found out about stories of righteous people who went out of their way during the holocaust to save in particular the lives of Jewish children; these non-Jewish heroes risked their lives, because they followed a conscious and didn’t feel intimidated by cruel tyrants who imposed torture and death penalty upon those who helped Jews.

Just recently, we came to know about the existence of such heroes like Sir Nicholas Winton and Irena Sendler, a polish catholic nurse that was able to save 2.500 Jewish children – most of those children that Mrs. Sendler saved were placed in non-Jewish homes, nevertheless she dug up a jar containing the children’s real family names, so that after the war, they could look for their real families. Some children were lucky enough to have a relative alive, others ended up adopted.

Mrs.Sendler’s story demonstrates an emotional and encouraging attitude in the midst of darkness. Even though, she was nominated in 2007 for a Nobel Prize – she didn’t get, instead Al Gore got it! Not long ago, she passed away.

Recently, many Jewish survivors saved in Poland are finding out about their Jewish ancestry, since they went through the horrors of the War and afterwards communism.

All righteous people should be honored and receive everyone’s reverence – of course, we all must act righteously; and the world would be a much better place if all people acted upon it, yet, those who do so – should receive our respect and honor.

Many current heroes are not known - yet, through their good deeds the world is saved everyday. The Holtzbergs were also heroes in Mumbai, serving and saving the spiritually hungry, and because of that were killed.

We must follow their examples, even if it’s not easy, and most of the times real heroes are forgotten and didn’t even get a Nobel Prize; we must give honor for the righteous heroes but – the more people joining in righteousness and chessed in the blink of darkness – more light will break the force of darkness.



Source about Irena Sendler: http://hmturnerfoundation.org/html/artjar.html;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irena_Sendler ;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZSu00RN2wk&watch_response

http://www.irenasendlerfilm.com/

http://www1.yadvashem.org/righteous_new/sendlerova.html



Irena Vs. Al Gore: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVw1PANUcdg&feature=related#



Other righteous among the Nations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zoh6y8TX3M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7xxS8VqZ9E