Rabbi Eliezer Sorotzkin related the following story: In November
1938, before the onset of World War II, some Jewish children had the
opportunity to escape from Nazi Germany and resettle in England through what
became known as kindertransport. Unfortunately, there were not enough religious
families able to accept these children and other families who were willing to
take them were not willing to raise the children with Jewish traditions. The Chief
Rabbi of London, Rabbi Yechezkel Abramski, embarked on a frantic campaign to
secure funding to ensure that every child would be placed in a proper Jewish
environment. Rabbi Abramski called one wealthy Jewish industrialist and begged
him for a donation sizable enough to ensure that the children would be raised
in proper Jewish environment. "It is pikuach nefesh!" cried Rabbi
Abramski.
At that point, the tycoon became incensed. "Rabbi," he
said, "Please do not use that term flippantly. I know what pikuach nefesh
is. Pikuach nefesh means a matter of life and death! When I was young, my
parents were very observant. When my baby sister was young, she was very sick.
We had to call the doctor, but it was on Shabbos. My father was very
conscientious of the sanctity of Shabbos, but our rabbi told us that since this
is a matter of life and death, we were allowed to desecrate the Shabbos. Rabbi
Abramski," the man implored, "with all due respect. The children are
already here in England. They are safe from the Nazis. The only issue is where
to place them. How they are raised is not pikuach nefesh!" With that, the
man politely bade farewell and hung up the phone.
That Friday evening, the wealthy man was sitting at dinner, when the
telephone rang incessantly. Finally, the man got up from his meal and answered
the phone. As he listened to the voice on the other end of the line, his face
went pallid. "This is Abramski. Please. I would not call on the Sabbath if
I did not think this was pikuach nefesh. Again, I implore you. We need the
funds to ensure that these children will be raised as Jews." Needless to
say, the man responded immediately to the appeal. –Shlomo Ressler
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