As
beautiful pearls are produced by the suffering of an oyster,
so the Holocaust created beautiful heroes–not only among the
victims and survivors but also among the others who risked
their own lives in order to help those who were persecuted and
to save their lives–people like my old nurse, Anna, and her
family.
Even among the most sorrowful memories, the humanitarian
acts performed by compassionate individuals shine above the
dark side of brutality.
I wrote this book because good can be learned even from one
of the worst human tragedies. In life–and even in
death–the human spirit, love, and fine principles lead the
way for the survivors.
When we reach the end of our days and make an inventory of
our actions, we should conclude: "I did the right
thing–for myself and for others. My time was spent well and
my life has been valuable and worthwhile." We have to
make a choice either to become a suppressor, taking advantage
of the misery of others, or to remain humane even in an
inhumane environment.
The light from the yellow star should always remain with
us.
