“Harder then living through the Holocaust”

I’m sitting and writing this thought, in beautiful sunny Boca Raton Florida , where I am filling in for the local Shliach for the next few weeks. B”H I am really enjoying every minute, for it really is a great learning experience.

Yet although the nature of the article would be expected to be fun, humorous and sunny, being influenced by the climate and atmosphere, it is not of that kind. It’s due to a powerful event I lived through just a few moments ago and can’t seem to get my mind off it, that I feel like sharing with you this powerful, albeit depressing and overwhelming experience.

Today in the Chabad house we hosted a round the table session for the families of the incarcerated, there were psychologists, volunteers from the Aleph institute and over half a dozen family members of those sitting in prison.

Among those sitting around the table was a soon to be 94 year old man, whose son is in prison, for relatively a small amount of time. The reason shall remain private, due the common trust of not relating the stories that were tearfully told at this meeting.

As he finished his tale of woe, he concluded with a statement that shook me and all those present to the core, he said: “I have lived through the holocaust, for four and a half years I was transferred from one camp to another, yet all that was not nearly as hard as my present situation having my son in prison.”

Honestly no words can be written and do justice to the feelings of compassion that poured in our hearts when he delivered his tearful thought.

As I sit before a the computer, thinking to myself why did I have to hear this statement coming from such a broken heart and spirit, what do I as a free kid with endless opportunities walk out with.

I think one of the messages that can be derived, is that we must understand how important it is to live a life of values, of repentance and of spirituality, infusing our lives with purpose and meaning, because at the end of the day the disgrace and self pity of those who have not lived the life of meaning, and those of their loved ones is greater then we can ever imagine.

No Nazi was able to do the old man what a lost and confused young man did to himself. The biggest threat to us as a nation is ourselves, when we lose focus and mix up our values.

I am sorry for the depressing tone of this thought; it’s just that I felt compelled to share this moment with those I know.

Do something about it:

Be something you can be proud of!