A Grateful Heart
→ For Lily Ebert the nightmare of Auschwitz was coming to an end with its liberation. She met an American who gave her a banknote with a hopeful message written on it, “A start to a new life, good luck and happiness.” Signed simply, Assistant to Chaplain Schacter. An Orthodox rabbi who served with the Third Army’s VIII Corps, Chaplain Schacter participated in the liberation of Buchenwald “where he also aided survivors and afterward also led religious services.” He also assisted in relocating survivors, including helping a young orphaned boy, future Nobel laureate, Elie Wiesel.
→ Now 91, Lily came across the banknote and wanted to personally thank the man who liberated her. Her great-grandson, Dov Forman, 16 years old, explains how through technology and social media, she got to do that. After his social media post of the bank note, which garnered 15,000 likes and 2,000 retweets, he received responses from around the world and discovered the man to be Private Hayman Shulman from New Jersey. “Lily and Dov had the opportunity to speak with the family of the deceased soldier to thank them for his kindness posthumously.” Sadly, Hayman Shulman had died in 2013.
→ Lily Ebert’s desire to thank the man who gave her the hopeful message touched numerous people, including the family of Private Shulman, her great-grandson, and the thousands of others who saw her story online. She shows the power of a grateful heart. As David said, “Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of Thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing” (Psalm 107:22).
(Source: The Jerusalem Post)
