At the Israeli Knesset, a solemn gathering titled “The Journey of His Life – From Buchenwald to Yerushalayim” brought together a powerful mix of lawmakers, soldiers, and civilians to hear Rav Yisrael Meir Lau share the gripping and miraculous story of his survival through the Holocaust.
“The defeat of the Nazis was possible only because the entire world stood united against them,” Rav Lau said. “Alongside our gratitude to the Creator, we must thank His emissaries — notably the Soviet Union, which sacrificed more than all, including around a quarter of a million Jews who fought in the Red Army. We owe thanks also to Britain, the United States, and all those who opposed Nazism.”
In one of the most moving moments of his remarks, Rav Lau described a terrifying scene: “A Nazi officer grabbed me by the collar and tossed me like a sack several meters toward train cars designated for women and children en route to the death camps. During the night, my brother Naftali crawled through seven train cars until he found me. Together, we crept into the ‘adults’ car — those still considered ‘productive.’ When we reunited, we burst into tears and embraced.”
He underscored his central message once again: “Humanity was saved through unity. The Jewish people are forever grateful. And even today, such unity is necessary — only then can we defeat our enemies.”
The tribute was organized by several Knesset figures, including National Security Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth, Education Committee Chairman MK Yosef Taieb, MK Avi Maoz, Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Yevgeny Sova, and UTJ leader MK Yitzhak Pindrus. Among the dignitaries present were Minister of Health Uriel Busso, Deputy Transport Minister Uri Maklev, Deputy Agriculture Minister Moshe Abutbul, and a number of MKs from diverse factions such as MK Avichai Boaron, MK Avraham Betzalel, Health Committee Chair MK Yoni Mashriki, MK Ariel Kallner, and MK Tzvi Succot. Members of Rav Lau’s family, dozens of Netzach Yehuda soldiers and officers, and other guests filled the room.
Cantor Avi Miller offered heartfelt prayers for the well-being of Israeli soldiers and the return of hostages.
Opening the program, MK Yosef Taieb addressed the crowd with stirring words: “We are here today to remember and remind. Eighty years ago, the most brutal evil in human history was defeated — one that struck the Jewish people hardest of all. Although Nazism may have been vanquished, its ideology reappears in different forms even today. Time and again, we are shocked that Jews fear wearing a kippah in public. I know this from France. Some countries still glorify Nazi criminals. The murderous Hamas attack on Simchat Torah reminds us of our darkest chapters.”
He emphasized that Israel has consistently objected to the celebration of Nazi collaborators in places like Ukraine and the Baltics, where known war criminals have been honored and their crimes dismissed.
Taieb went on to praise Rav Lau as a living symbol of resilience and Jewish unity, stating: “Rav Yisrael Meir Lau’s life story and miraculous rescue personify the unity of the Jewish people and the broader international unity against evil. The rabbi we all revere was saved at age 8 from a death camp by a Russian soldier. The camp itself was liberated by American troops. Even today, we need international unity to eradicate all forms of hatred.”
Offering a personal reflection, Taieb shared: “I’ll tell you something personal. The Russian soldier who saved the rabbi — Fyodor Mikhailichenko — remained in contact with him until the end of his life. Rebbetzin Chaya Ita Lau still hosts his daughters when they visit Israel. This is an opportunity to express our appreciation to Rav Lau, Israel Prize laureate, for his work at Yad Vashem and for initiating the commemoration of ‘Liberation and Rescue Day’ on the Hebrew date as well — marked with prayer and thanksgiving at the Western Wall, a project led by Jewish philanthropist Gabriel German Zakharyayev alongside the Knesset’s official May 9 observance. Most importantly, we thank him for who he is. May God grant him many more good years.”
With visible emotion, Rav Lau recounted his path through the horrors of war — from Piotrków, where his family was first persecuted, to the moment of liberation at Buchenwald.
“Years ago in London, a Jew approached me and introduced himself as Mordechai Motl Kaminsky. To my surprise, he told me he had come to ask forgiveness. ‘When we were hiding in the attic in Piotrków, I saw an apple in a bag your mother was holding. I was starving to the bone. I took the apple and took a bite. Just then, we heard the stomping of boots and barking of dogs. I couldn’t swallow, and I don’t recall what happened to the apple — but for decades, I’ve been tormented and I came to ask your forgiveness.’”
Describing his liberation, Rav Lau painted a chilling picture: he had concealed himself beneath the bodies of Jews who had been gunned down while trying to escape amid a battle between German forces and incoming American soldiers.
“I owe my life in the camp to the Russian soldier Fyodor Mikhailichenko,” he said. “I tried to find him while he was still alive but was unsuccessful. I hosted his family in Israel and ensured his name was recorded for eternity at Yad Vashem on the Righteous Among the Nations wall. I will also never forget the conversation I had with American Army Chaplain Rabbi Herschel Schacter. When he asked me my age, I told him: ‘I’m older than you. I see you crying and laughing like a child — I haven’t cried or laughed in years.’”
The ceremony closed with a stirring rendition of “Ani Ma’amin,” sung to the tune composed by Rabbi Azriel David Fastag z”l while en route to his death during the Holocaust — a haunting expression of faith even in the darkest times.
{Matzav.com Israel}