Finding our Fire from their Ashes

This past month, the Jewish world lost two remarkable souls. We lost two of the last living witnesses to the courage and resistance that defined our people during the darkest time in human history.

Michael Smuss, the last surviving fighter of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, passed away at the age of 99. His very existence was a miracle. Every day he lived during and after those terrible years was a victory over evil. And just weeks earlier, we lost Aharon Bielski- the last of the legendary Bielski Brothers, leaders of the largest Jewish partisan movement during the Holocaust. For years, when I taught about Jewish resistance during the Holocaust, I would proudly say: “One of them is still alive- Aharon Bielski is the grandfather of my childhood friend.” I’d describe how future generations of Jews are alive today thanks to the 1200+ people these courageous brothers saved.

Now, those two living links have left us.

An era has ended. But their light, courage, and faith will never fade. Michael Smuss and Aharon Bielski are surely inscribed in the book of kedoshim-  holy souls who risked their lives to save as many Jewish lives as possible in the hardest of times.

One of the main mitzvot of Seder night is “Vehigadeta levincha bayom hahu” - “And you shall tell your child on that day.” As Jews, these words resonate with us every single day. Memory is not only an act of the mind. It is an act of the soul. We are commanded to carry the legacy of our heroes forward. Our goal is not solely to remember their suffering, but to embody their strength and faith. The lives we live must reflect their message: good can overcome evil, light can pierce the darkness and the few can triumph against the many. This is the essence of our people- we do not just survive, but we rebuild, renew and continue to thrive.

I was reminded of this recently at the Holocaust Museum LA Gala dinner I attended last week. Ella Mandel, an Auschwitz survivor was honored, along with the model Cindy Crawford, who together were part of the exhibit “Borrowed Spotlight.” The exhibit pairs Holocaust survivors with young artists and influencers, building bridges and forming relationships between generations. The two have formed a special bond and were honored for transmitting Ella’s story, sharing the message of “Never Again” together. They proudly shared these messages on stage as the night came to an end.

And yet, at the conclusion of the event, I found myself asking: “Yes, Never Again. But what comes next? What messages do we live by as we move forward? Where’s the chizzuk?” 

Yes, “Never Again” is vital- we can all agree on that. However, if we stop there, we risk defining our Jewish identity only through tragedy and always needing to be on the defensive. Where is the message that moves us forward? What is the take-away we are left with to inspire us to live proudly as Jews- to build a future filled with Torah, emunah, and finding joy in our Judaism? I couldn’t help but think about this as I looked around at the tables filled with Jewish youth, lucky enough to attend such a prestigious event. What inspires them to move forward to live dedicated Jewish lives? If we depend on the tragedies of the Holocaust to be the defining factor of our identity, then I believe we risk raising a generation that knows how to remember, but not how to build. Our history should move us, not paralyze us. The next chapter of our people’s story depends on how we live as Jews today, which should be through creating a life of meaning, purpose and pride, always looking towards a brighter future.

On a similar note, a Chabad Shlucha from a small town outside of LA recently shared something that really struck me. She spoke about how many of the Jewish families in her community pour tremendous amounts of money into campaigns and media efforts to fight antisemitism. “What about investing that same amount into Jewish education instead?”, she asked. Let’s start at the core. Why always play defense when we can strengthen from within? I have to say- I completely agree.

However, since October 7th, 2023, we have begun to witness a new chapter in Jewish history being written right now, before our very eyes. We are seeing the rise of a new kind of hero: the men, women, and children who endured captivity, terror, and unimaginable loss. They somehow emerged with a deeper belief in G-d. They faced darkness no human should ever face, and somehow, almost impossibly, they found light there.

There has been a recent trend in Israel transpiring amongst the youth. More and more teens are beginning to take on the mitzvah of keeping Shabbat. They say “If they could find G-d in the tunnels, surely we can find Him in the light of a Shabbat candle.” This is not a coincidence. Take Bar Kupershtein, one of the many hostages- days after being released from captivity, he publicly encouraged an entire country to join him at Hostage Square to wrap Tefillin together.

In an interview with Piers Morgan, Eli Sharabi, a released hostage, described learning upon his release that his wife and daughter had been murdered on October 7th. With unimaginable strength, Eli stated:

“I know I can’t bring them back. I can’t let the grief bury me. I’ll always look for ways to move on. I have to stay optimistic and rebuild my life. Maybe they see me from heaven and they’re proud of me.”

There is a true look of shock in Piers Morgan’s eyes as he remains silent hearing Eli’s words. He is awed by Eli’s faith and resilience. And Eli is not alone. So many others have spoken- but instead of bitterness, they’ve spoken with belief, describing how they found God in the depths of the tunnels of Gaza. In the silence of darkness and despair, they heard Hashem’s voice for the first time. They are now spreading those messages to all.

We keep hearing how these hostages were moser nefesh- willing to sacrifice their soul on behalf of remaining Jewish. Many were willing to die at the hands of their captors, rather than accept Islam. They shared their mere rations of food with others being held. They chose holiness and faith in the utter darkness- that is its own form of resistance. They chose to live with purpose and pride while in captivity and they are now bringing a spirit of survival and strength into the next generation. 

This is all part of the same story: Warsaw Ghetto fighters, Partisans in the woods, hostages in tunnels- they’ve all chosen the path of fighting for who they are, and then transmitting the flame from within forward.

In Pirkei Avot, we are taught: "Bemakom sheein anashim, hishtadel lihiyot ish" -“In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.” In every generation, there are those who rise, who carry the torch of belief and truth when the world grows dark. Michael Smuss and Aharon Bielski stood against Naziism with weapons in their hands. Today’s heroes are the hostages, the soldiers fighting for our land and dignity around the world, and the teens returning to Shabbat.

Both of these chapters are in the same eternal story: The story of the victory of the Jewish People- the people that not only continue to live, but continue to thrive.

So yes- an era has ended. But from their ashes, our generation has found its fire.

We will keep telling the stories of these heroes- from the ghettos of Warsaw to the tunnels of Gaza. When Mashiach comes our enemies will finally know what we have always known:The light of the Jewish soul is infinite, unbreakable, and eternal. No enemy can extinguish it.Our light will always remain and overcome the darkness.