The Arizona post., 1959-04-17
Short Holiday Story
An Euq For The Passover Seder

should not see such things? One night, as
he lay in Chana's arms, too weak to move
a shadow passed across the huge eyes, SO
that the purple circles around them be-
came deeper-and he died.
Six months later, they were reduced to
starving Scarecrows, drunk with weakness
Motel tried to sneak into the guards
kitchen and steal food. A grinning lout
in shiny iackboots found him and kicked
him down some concrete steps so that he
broke his hand. and was carelessly thrown
into a mass grave like an old rag.
When Chana learned what had happened
and ran to the pit Motel and the few
dozen others had been covered by three
inches of loose earth, and the hole was
ready for more victims.
ONE DAY-when, she never knew-Eli
and all the men still strong enough to
work were taken to Germany. The all
raids were getting bad there, and factories
were going underground. Whole wal
plants were being relocated deep in the
earth. Like rats, Chana thought, the Nazis
had to scurry in caVernS She could not
cry as she watched Eli standing in the
back of the truck. But she waved to him
and tried to smile.
She managed to live. The camp filled
up with prisoner-laborers; Frenchmen
Poles, Russians NorWegians, Czechs,
Greeks, Albanians, Yugoslavs, Austrians,
even Germans-allf flung together in aim
oh 1oT1o
his own tongue. Chana worked in the
kitchens, boiling vast kettles of slops for
the laborers, and managed to live.
One day, the beatings ceased, the watch
towers were deserted, the searchlights
were out. the machine-guns unattended.
The S.S fled. A few frightened guards
who were left behind were found cover
ing in the cellars, were seized and dragged
to the assembly yard where five thou
sand bowling prisoners waited -. Chana
shuddered and looked away. They were
still men, she thought; how much rage
can avenge a life?
The liberating armies rolled in on tanks,
trucks, armoured cars; the crews battle
filthy and weary. The ragged mobs
cheered, laughed, cried, danced and sang.
But Chana watched unbelieving -.
Chana sought her husband in DIP camps.
In one she met Ellis friend from Rumania,
Chain. "All dead" Chain told her, "All
but himself"
WHAT CAN ONE DO to fill the terrible
void? After many months of aimless wait
ing, during which they comforted one an
other, Chana and Chain decided to marry
He was now 40 years and she was 38. II
was like the story of Job, he told her.
The Lord Giveth; the Lord Taketh
Away; Blessed Be The Name of The Lore
because life goes on, because while
spark remains, a flame can be reklndled
They went to Chains old home in Buch
Arrest but when they heard the news o-
the establishment of Israel, they knew
there was only one course for them They
made their applications and waited
1t seemed as though the waiting Woult
90 on forever. In the meantime David was
born. Then-a wonderful day in January
1859 They couldn't take much with them
Just their clothes and 40 kiloS of belong
ings each. But they sailed to Israel. 1
was only then, when they landed and were
made so welcome, that for the first time
in twenty years, they felt completely Sc
cure, fulfilled-the uncertainty was over
And as the new family in Israel settled
down to a meager Passover dinner there
was a sudden knock at the door
It was Mrs Kalman, neighbOr
small intense woman who chirped hap
PLY while doing her chores.
"HellO Chana." she said breathleSSly. g