An elderly Jew, chatting over a glass of wine, asked me one evening:
"Do you know why I'm alive today?" – and without waiting for an answer he continued – “I was still a teenager when the Nazis began killing Jews mercilessly.
One evening they took us from our homes. I lost sight of my parents and sister almost immediately, when they loaded us into trucks, separating us.
Once we reached the station they made us board a train; destination unknown.
The train stopped in the middle of the countryside in the middle of the night, and it was terribly cold in that freight car.
They left us locked in there without food, without water, without blankets, therefore without the possibility of warming ourselves in any way.
It was snowing and the cold wind penetrated my clothes.
There were hundreds of us. We felt our blood freeze in our veins.
Next to me there was an elderly man known and much loved in my city. He was shaking and looked terrible. I hugged him tightly to give him some warmth. I rubbed his hands, legs, face, neck, begging him to stay alive, even managing to raise his spirits a little.
I kept that man warm all night. I myself was tired and cold, yet I continued to massage his body in an attempt to keep him alive.
Several hours passed and finally the sun came to shine and warm the carriage. I looked around and to my horror all I saw were people frozen to death. I heard nothing but the silent breathing of death.
The freezing night had killed everyone. Only two people survived: the old man and me. The old man survived because I didn't let him freeze, and I survived because I moved all night to save him, not allowing myself a moment's rest, realizing only in the morning that this would be lethal.
That elderly gentleman and I looked into each other's eyes, and I understood in that instant that we had both been given the opportunity to understand, to understand a great truth.
Allow me to reveal to you the secret of survival in this world” - he continued seriously after a short silence - “When you warm the hearts of others, you simultaneously warm yourself.
When you support, strengthen and encourage others, you receive equal support, strengthening and encouragement, which will be given to you by life itself.”
