All rights reserved.
Jacob Jackson
Kadima Day School
West Hills, CA
                                           Shari

      I saw my father on the side of my bed saying, “Shari! Shari! wake up.”  I looked at my
clock and I saw the time, 2:30 in the morning. I asked father, “Why have you awakened me? ”
“The Nazis are here.” For the past weeks my father seemed very worried. I never knew what
for but I could see it in his face. Now I know what he was worried about. The Nazis are here.

     One week later, I felt my brother Bumi shoving my shoulder, saying “Shari wake up
already.” “I am awake! I am awake! what do you want?” “We are at the station Shari” It was
daybreak  and we saw that the station was extremely crowded. We had no clue how we
would find the man father spoke of. Bumi said “stay close to me so we don’t get split up.” As
we climbed down from the train a mob of people came storming down the platform and we
were separated from each other. As soon as the crowd died down I went looking for Bumi,
but never found him.

     I left the train station alone to look for somewhere to stay. It was late and I saw a barn on
the side of the road. I quietly crept in, making sure not to awaken any of the animals. I saw a
heap of hay and without hesitation, I jumped onto it and closed my eyes, but I couldn’t fall
asleep.  I kept thinking about Bumi, wondering if he was okay or not. I remember father
clearly saying to stick together, and now I didn’t know if I was ever going to see Bumi again.  
I slowly fell asleep.  I woke before dawn and left the barn in the cover of darkness. I walked
up a hill and came upon a monastery.

     As I walked around the monastery a man in robes approached me. He said, “I am the
abbot and I was wondering if you needed help.” I said, “I need a place to stay for a while.” He
replied, “Why would someone your age need a place to stay? Don't you have a home or a
family to stay with?” I thought very carefully about my next words and then admitted “I am
on the run from the Nazis.” The abbot replied, “We will take care of you as long as we can.”
During the next few months, the monks and I helped some Jews escape out of Nazis
controlled territory. I began to feel safe and secure but once again the Nazis came.

     One morning the Abbot woke me, saying, “You must go now! The Nazis are here.”
Apparently some soldiers had gotten an anonymous tip that some refugees were in the area.
The abbot said, “I contacted a friend of mine that said he would keep you safe.” He showed
me the back door and said, “all you need to do is make your way down the hill and get to the
ambulance at the bottom.” I thanked everyone for their generosity and started down the hill.
After I got out of sight I started sprinting as fast as I could,  until I saw the ambulance. I went
to the driver and I told him I was the one who needed a ride. The driver said “what are you
waiting for? Get in !”

     He took me on a long ride to a hospital.  Before getting out, the driver said, “lay down on
the bed and pretend to be asleep.”  I opened my left eye just enough so I could see what was
going on. I saw a doctor walking toward me. He said quietly, “are you Shari?” I nodded: He
then said “I am going to be watching over you for now.  If there is anything you need just call
me.” As the doctor left I sat up and looked around the room. I had one roommate who was
sleeping. I was exhausted and fell asleep immediately.

     Although I was now living in the hospital, I still kept the laws of kashrut and Shabbat,
which did not go unnoticed. My “ lovely” roommate, Jolanka told the doctor that I was a Jew
because she saw that I never turned on lights on Fridays and did not eat any pork. She told
the doctor to call the police and have me arrested. The doctor said that she was going crazy
and locked her up in a room so that she couldn’t tell anyone else. Many dreary months
passed until breaking news came in. The Germans had lost in an enormous battle at
Stalingrad.

     In the year 1944 the Soviet Army was said to be advancing quickly across Eastern
Europe, which meant that they would be in Budapest soon. I was so excited that I could
hardly keep it to myself. Not long after, group of Soviet soldiers arrived at the hospital. A
sudden glow came to my face and I now knew I was safe. It was February of 1945 and it was
one of the happiest moments of my life. As I came out to greet the soldiers I saw them taking
the doctor outside. I ran outside as fast as I could to see what was happening. I saw one of
the soldiers pointing a gun at him about to shoot. I screamed, “stop!” The soldier turned
around and set the gun down. “What are you doing? This man is a murderer.” I replied, “No,
he saved my life.” The soldier lifted his gun and asked, “How do I know you are not just
trying to save him?” I then said ,“Because I am a Jew.”  The soldier took a good look at me,
then he slowly put down his rifle.

     After Germany surrendered I made my way back to my home in Czechoslovakia. I arrived
at my home I knocked on the door and a man opened the door, I asked “do you know where
the previous residents are?” The had no idea where they could be. Although he did say “a
man did come by a few days ago asking the same thing. I think he is staying at the inn in
town.” I felt a deep warmth, knowing that it would have to be someone in my family. I ran into
town as fast as I could. I found the inn and quickly made my way inside.  As soon as I walked
in someone called, “Shari!” I looked to my right and it was my brother Bumi.






Source: This information was gained from an interview with Mira Winograd the daughter of
Shari Frankel