Eight Days of Light and Darkness

          Eight Days of Light and Darkness

Suzanne Marsh

Rosa and Ryawka Horowitz wearily made their way down the cobble street toward the family home. A small wooden shack that had been thrown together after the Nazi’s had seized their family home in Lodz. This Hanukkah held the humiliation and loss of dignity for the Jewish families of Lodz, Poland. Rosa and Ryawka worked in a shoe factory where all shoes were sent to Germany. It did not matter that the Jewish in the Lodz Ghetto had no proper shoes, everything was for the Germans only. Tonight, was the beginning of Hanukkah, both girls were giddy with happiness, yet sad because there was no extra food for the feast. They had been in the ghetto since its inception and no doubt would be there after its demise or so they hoped and prayed.

Lodz Ghetto 1943

Rosa, are you coming? We must hurry before curfew, or we will be shot on the sight.”

“Yes, Rosa, I know that, but I want to see Moshe before we go home.”

“Moshe? Why Moshe? He is nothing to us.”

“He is to me Rosa; we are planning to wed.”

“Ryawka, the Nazi’s are not going to allow a wedding to take place, the ghetto is

is no place to raise a family.”

“I, know but we are going to marry. Rabbi Blume has consented. We can’t marry in

the synagogue obviously but we can marry in our home during Hanukkah.”

“You are insane Ryawka, but what can I do to help”

“Nothing Rosa, we have been meeting in secret for some time now.”

“Who is we Ryawka? What else are you doing?”

“A Polish friend of mine outside the ghetto, has been attempting to smuggle in small arms.

I have been meeting him near the gate. He brings food and word of what the Nazi’s are

doing with other ghettos like the big one in Warsaw. It is important to know so that

if we plan, we can escape the camps and certain death.”

“Who is this ‘friend’?”

“Do you remember Paul Wisnowski?”

“Yes, he used to come to see father before we were sent to the ghetto.”

“One and the same. I saw him accident one afternoon in the ghetto. We began

talking and next I knew I was smuggling in firearms of all descriptions. Side

arms I can hide beneath my dress and rifles I have carried like a sack of potatoes.”

“Enough! Don’t tell me anymore. What I don’t know I can’t tell.”

“Ah, there is Moshe. I will see you at home.”

Rosa, walked toward the derelict red brick building that had served as the Jewish School until recently, when it had been shut down by the Nazis: “Jews did not need to learn anything.” She then turned left toward the shack they now called home. The wooden slats that formed the house were no protection against the harsh winter winds. Rosa, shivered as she entered the shack:

“Mama, Papa? Where is everyone?”

In that moment she noticed the menorah was missing, as were her parents. The shack was torn apart. The tables were turned upside down, the curtains ripped, the one window shattered. The general upheaval told Rosa everything she needed to know. The first night of Hanukkah, her parents had been taken away; ‘most likely to one of the camps. I may never know where they are or if they are dead or alive.’ She casually went upstairs, packed the two dresses that she had Ryawka. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she thought of her mother and father.

Ryawka, with Moshe in tow, met Paul Winnowski at the fence where the barbed wire was weakest. Suddenly, Ryawka heard Rosa yelling. Paul motioned them to leave immediately, the trap had been sprung. Rosa found herself staring at the Gestapo’s black van. She was pulled into it; she had broken the curfew. Once she was in the van, her eyes desperately sought her mother and father. Her mother wept softly, her father motioned her to come and sit next to him.

Moshe and Ryawka noted the black van as they strode purposefully away from the commotion that knowing that Rosa and their parents were in that van; destined for the camps either Buchenwald or Auschwitz. Ryawka wanted to cry but there was no time for that either. Moshe led her to his hiding place.

“Ryawka, you must be very quiet; the Gestapo are going to be looking for you now that they

have Rosa and your parents. We must try escape.”

“I the Rabbi to marry us first.”

“There is no time for that Ryawka. We will do that once we have escaped from Poland.”

“To where Moshe? To where?”

“We can hide here at least for a little while. Perhaps Paul, can smuggle us out somehow.”

“That will be so dangerous for him; more so than the guns he has been slipping us.”

“What choices do we have? If we stay, we will go to one of the death camps. Is that

what you want?”

“No, I don’t; I want to live.”

“Ryawka, we have to leave tonight. I know how you enjoy Hanukkah but right now

it is far more important that we get out alive. We can join the resistance, fight

to regain our country.”

“Can we at least sing the Hanukkah Song before we leave and light a candle for

Rosa and my parents?”

“Yes, that we can do.”

Moshe turned around and produced a menorah, a very small pocket sized one. He quickly lit eight candles:

“Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah, come light menorah.

Let’s have a party, we’ll all dance the horah.

‘Gather ‘round the table’

we’ll give you a treat.

“Dreyolles to play with and Latkes to eat.

And while we are playing the candles are burning low

one for each night they shed a sweet light.

Light to remind us of long ago

One light for each night they shed a sweet light, to remind us of days long ago.’

They could hear the scretch of tires, in the foreground. They quickly put out the menorah, placing it in Moshe’s pocket. The Gestapo quickly and effienctly rounded up all the suspected Jews in the area. Somehow, they had not Moshe’s hiding place. They waited in fear the entire night. The following morning, with help from Paul, they slipped out of the ghetto into the relative safety of the pine forests. They joined the resistance and eventually married. Rosa and their parents perished in Auschwitz.