The Last Farewell

   The Last Farewell

Suzanne Marsh

March 12, 1943

“Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, how has sanctified us with his commandments and favored us and given us in love favor his hold Shabbat as an inheritance, as a remembrance of the act of creation.” There was a great sadness in our household that evening, I did not understand what was happening, but I did know that something that had to do with the SS and where we lived, in Krakow, Poland. My mother Sarah had prepared the challah, clear chicken soup and matzah balls, I could hardly wait to eat. Food had been so scarce at this time especially in the Krakow Ghetto, where all Jews were forced to live, we could not leave; if a person was caught escaping, they were shot on the spot. I was also allowed wine for the first time. Dinner was so quiet, my father Abraham and mother Sarah whispered back and forth. My brother Ezra was fifteen, he joined in the whispering, but Leah and I were not allowed to hear what was being said. Shortly after Shabbat began, my uncle Issac Horowitz appeared at our door, mother motioned him in. I took Leah to get her ready for bed. Father lowered his usually booming voice to a mere utter:

“Abraham, you and Sarah and the children must leave tonight, we have word that the Nazi’s

are going to clean out the Ghetto tomorrow. Sarah and the girls will no doubt be sent

to Belzec extermination camp. You must think of them, the resistance will fight tomorrow,

if you wish to take a chance with us that is welcome.”

Abraham, sighed; he knew Isaac had the best intentions:

“Isaac, Sarah and Micah will fight tomorrow as will I. The decision has already been made.”

Isaac, felt as if he were fighting a losing battle:

“What about Rachel and Leah? They cannot fight, if they are seen they will be killed.”

Abraham looked Isaac squarely in the eyes:

“I know a way to get them out of the Ghetto, but I have no idea with whom to hide them.”

Isaac, his face brightening thought about the Laskowski family, they had several children, all red heads, like Rachel and Leah. They would take the children:

“Abraham, I will come for the girls in two hours, finish the Shabbat, the people I have in mind

will keep them safe until this madness ends. Then all of you will be together once again.”

Abraham shed tears; as Isaac left their home. Sarah, went to get Rachel and Leah, she too had tears in her eyes:

“Rachel, you and Leah, must leave here tonight, Uncle Isaac, has a safe place for you to hide.

Come, I will help you put on extra clothes so you will not be noticed. Father and I love

you both very much.”

Rachel looked quizzically at her mother, wondering where they would go:

“Rachel, Ezra and I are staying here with father, you must take Leah, keep her safe.”

Sarah came out of the other room with Rachel and Leah. They once again were seated around the dining table, thankful for what they had for Shabbat. Fear crept into Rachel, where were they going? How long would the family be apart?

Abraham began the Shabbat prayer once again, they ate in silence, wondering what would happen in these next few days. Rachel sensed that things would never be the same for the family but she would do as she was told.

Isaac returned shortly after sunset, using one of the underground tunnels the resistance had dug and used during the years the ghetto had been opened. Tomorrow, they would fight to the bitter end. He wanted Sarah and Ezra to leave and hide also but Sarah had already decided her fate as had Ezra. He hated the thought that neither Sarah nor Ezra had ever even fired a gun, how would this help their fight with the SS. Isaac, had a true fear of the SS, he had been arrested and tortured once, after that he stayed away from any sight that have the SS anywhere nearby. Isaac, still walked with a limp from his visit with SS, they had broken his arms and legs, one leg had not healed. Isaac, shook himself, he would not allow himself to think about these things now. Sarah, quietly opened the door as she heard the two quick raps on the door:

“Isaac, Rachel and Leah are ready, please God, keep them safe.” Sarah stated as tears welled in her dark brown eyes. Isaac smiled at Rachel and Leah, hoping to make them feel safe. Isaac, Rachel and Leah, went quickly out into the cold night. Isaac led the way; they slipped out of a small hole the SS had not noticed in the wall. Slowly and carefully, they made their way to the Laskowski home. Jan Laskowski, was a jolly Nationalist Pole, who hated the SS:

“Isaac, come in my friend, welcome.” Rachel peer around her uncle with Leah in her arms:

“This must be Abraham’s daughters. Welcome children, come in, come in.” The home was warm and there was a sense of comfort; Rachel felt safe and at home. Lena Laskowski was a diminutive woman with a great deal of compassion, she walked over to Rachel, taking Leah from her arms:

“You will call me Aunt Lena, since you are my sister’s children, who have come to live with us.

Your mother, my sister has died, and her husband is dead. That is the story you must tell

everyone Rachel, for your sake as well as ours. You and your sister will be safe here with us.”

Lena, hoped that the two would fit into the family, she then turned to Isaac:

“We will keep them safe until the madness is over, Jan will be ready in a few moments. I pray

the battle goes well tomorrow.”

Isaac could not believe the courage and love Lena had for her family and his. Jan, returned, with his pistol and Beha:

“Isaac, we must go now, Lena has the children settled in for the night.” Jan, kissed Lena goodbye:

“Jan, please be careful and come home to us.”

March 13, 1943

Isaac and Jan slipped back into the ghetto, where other resistance fighters were gathering. The SS began to arrive with the local Wehrmacht soldiers. Machine guns were placed in strategic places, soldiers with dogs began rousting Jews from their hiding places. The resistance placed their people in windows and roofs praying they could stop the liquidation. Abraham, Isaac and Ezra along with Jan Laskowski, were stationed up on the roof of an apartment building where they lived. The soldiers approached the apartment, the shooting began. A bullet hit Abraham; Sarah screamed:

“Abraham, oh no please God no!” Isaac turned to see Sarah, kneeling next to Abraham, he clamored over to them. Blood oozed from Abraham’s mouth; he had been shot in the right lung. Abraham twisted toward the sound of Isaac’s voice:

“Hear me Isaac, get Sarah and Ezra out of here, before they are captured. Jan will hide them.

Leave me brother, I am dead.” Jan, motioned Isaac, that they needed to go now. Isaac promised himself he would return and get his brother’s body for burial. Ezra, seeing his father die, rushed out into the street, he was never seen again. Sarah, was captured, escaped from the transport. She found her way back to the Laskowski’s home, there was she was reunited with Rachel and Leah.

March 12, 1946

Sarah waited as Isaac began the Shabbat prayer, surrounded by Rachel and Leah. Heads were bowed, Rachel, now thirteen and growing into a beautiful young woman. Leah, five sat and fidgeted waiting for her clear chicken soup. Isaac took Sarah’s hands in his calloused ones:

“We are family now we four, survivors of the Krakow Ghetto, we are living history. Shalom!”