Zvi taught me German. My brother Zvi is in the picture behind you. You know who Zvi is?
The picture is really two pictures. I took one from one picture and blew it up. Took another. And I put them together.
He was shot in mass grave. Twenty thousand Jews. Some escaped said he was comforting them till the very end. Don’t ask me how, but some escaped, and they told about him. He was comforting them, telling them to be strong.
This I take with me. Hashem is with the Jewish people wherever they go. He gave them comfort and hope in a time when they needed it. I take that with me forever.
I know I tell you funny stories because I like to make you laugh and pretend I am normal.
Because I’m not happy inside. Why did a tzadik like Zvi end like this. And this is a puzzle.
Questions
Why do Jews always answer one question with another?
Why not?
Break
In Auschwitz, we didn’t work Sunday afternoons, and there would be big debates. You know, we were there with many Hungarians, towards the end of the war. Many of them were totally assimilated, they were practically goyim. The Hungarian women would say, it’s because of you; the peyos, the streimels. If you were like us we wouldn’t have ended up here.
And I would get up and give a big speech. If this is what they are like, killing innocent children, then I’m glad that I’m nothing like them. I’m glad I’m different.
A few of them came over to my side after that. I think I convinced them.
Unnamed soldier
I was in camps with a lady from the French underground. She was so strong.
I carried my her name with me for all the years. And now it escapes me. How is this possible?