Buchenwald Exposed

I did not record after Rabbi Lau at the JLI “Buchenwald Exposed” event tonight, as is usually my habit to support aging memory.  It was dark in the auditorium and the speech was too breathtaking to be able to write, we could only listen in shock as Rabbi Lau calmly retold absolutely horrific details of his childhood, that has v’shalom none of us can imagine.  I cannot even write all the details, but will try to relate some key points of what was said. 

Yosef Mendelevich

Wow! This was my simple, undiluted reaction walking out of North Suburban Synagogue Beth El after hearing Yosef Mendelevich speak.  Just the night before I finally posted my notes about king David, writing how above all his passions was the love of God, above all his struggles was desire to serve Hashem, and here a day after I hear a live man who embodies that same spirit, and a fellow Russian Jew, one of the brightest heroes of the Jewish underground, who beat the unbelievable odds in his quest for freedom, drawing his strength from unwavering emunah, faith in God.