The Partisans Menorah

our story happened during World War II when there were groups of people who organized a resistance force to combat the Nazi army mimom they were known as the partisans the partisans were groups of Russian polish and Jewish people who had escaped War camps and had joined a group to fight a common cause there was one group of partisans that consisted of some former polish officers ERS and a few Jews it happened once that on one of their missions they discovered an old starving Rabbi on the side of the road please help me who are you my name is doid but who are you we are members of a partisan group we're fighting the Nazis please please take me with you one of the the non-jewish partisans took Mercy on the rabbi and nursed him back to health the rabbi was of no real military use to the partisans but he was given the job of cooking and he also davened for the safety of the group surprisingly this group of partisans suffered no casualties for the rest of the war when the war was over the group broke up some went back to Poland others traveled to latva and others became wandering people with no place to go the Russian government began to clamp down on the people taking away their freedom the group decided it was too much and it was time to escape we must leave the Russians will no longer allow us to live free the situation is getting really bad and we must escape Escape but how there are Russian guards all over I have a plan A friend of mine told me that we must cross the river in the winter when the river is Frozen when we reach the other side of the river we will be entering No Man's Land There we will find a Hut this Hut is used by the Russian soldier who is in charge of protecting the border and PR preventing border crossings by all unauthorized people this man is armed and his job is to shoot anything that moves however at 1:00 in the morning he leaves his Hut and walks a few miles to the next Hut where he meets another Soldier there the soldiers exchange reports and supplies then he returns to his Hut the whole trip takes approximately 2 hours during that time we can warm ourselves in his Hut but we must be out of there by the time that he returns that sounds good but we can't take any of the older people with us that's right I spoke to all of them everyone will stay except that old Rabbi he insists on coming with us we must make a decision do we take him or not uh let's leave him after all he can find food in one of the towns we don't need to be slowed down by a frail old man we have done enough for him already no man I refuse to leave without him if we leave without him we're all doomed reluctantly they agreed and they included the rabbi it was a cold and miserable night a blizzard broke out and sure enough Stephan was correct the old Rabbi could not keep up with the rigorous climbing and running the blizzard got worse and more than once they all had to stop and carry the old Rabbi he wasn't very heavy but it was a big burden and it slowed down the entire group several times they argued and discussed whether they should leave the rabbi behind it was 1:00 in the morning when they arrived at the hut which by now was half buried in snow they could smell the fire and feel the warmth coming from the Hut they waited and waited behind some bushes waiting for the soldier to leave it seemed like forever soon enough the soldier left and almost frozen to death the group ran into the Hut each one trying to get his icy hands and frost bitten feet closer to the fire hey let me put my smelly feet next to the fire I can't even feel my toes no way man get your feet out of here they stink put your shoes back on will you okay okay while the others were arguing next to the fire the old Rabbi moved away from the group he opened a small bag and took out an old and Rusty manora then he took a small piece of string rolled it into a wick and proceeded to fill the manora with some oil from a small tin bottle that miraculously he had brought along with him everyone was in shock not a word was uttered a sound could not be heard in the room Spellbound they watched the rabbi slowly the rabbi picked up the manur placed it by the window of the Hut and in a low voice he recited the Bros for the lighting of the manura he carefully lit the wick and began to sing hanos halalu suddenly like an erupting volcano put out that light you will bring the Russian soldiers back here we will all be caught the rabbi calmly tried to explain that it was the first night of Kaneka and that he had kindled the light in order to keep the special Mitzvah of remembering the miracle of khaka no no I cannot put out the flame it must burn for half an hour this is according to the Torah law suddenly the door of the Hut flew open everyone turned towards the door and saw a giant Russian soldier standing before them they all froze nobody moved they could only stare freeze put your hands up in the air who are you tonight is is that I can't believe it could it really be Haven seen in 10 years he walked over and kissed the rabbi broke out into tears got taken into the army uh do you have any more oil I also want to light Thea well actually I have a little bit left right here the soldier lit his own Kaneka flame and they all sang together after after I left my heart I realized I I realized I remembered that I left some reports back in my closet when I was returning I saw the light coming from the hot I couldn't believe my eyes there it was I couldn't believe it right in my own Hut Rabbi you are safe here the soldier took a large bottle of vodka out from his coat and gave each one a drink you know it's it's very lucky that R was on guard today some other guard would have killed all of you come I will show you how to cross the border the group followed the soldier and he brought them safely across the border before he parted from the group the soldier turned to the rabbi Rabbi where are you going now I I'm on my way to is Rabbi when you get to ER is please DAV for me I should be able to leave the Army and come safely with my family amen amen eventually the rabbi made it to erel and every kanaka he would tell his grandchildren how the saved his [Music] life