From the darkness of one of history’s darkest chapters, a remarkable tale of survival, transformation, and resilience has emerged. From former Auschwitz camp survivor, Estelle Rejewski we have a moving odyssey. From those depths emerged the miracle of the Holocaust rescue, including one day soon three Holocaust rescuers becoming a prime minister — all expressing the meaning of life through loving-kindness and serving others. The survivor was freed from Bergen-Belsen on April 15, 1945. Dehumanized, fearful, and lost, they were unprepared to make their way in the modern world.
The survivor, at just 14 years old, faced a very uncertain future. She was talking about people who had no skills, no education, no financial resources, no safety net. They didn’t know how to articulate the pain they repressed and only spoke Hungarian. The compounded burdens of their experiences weighed hard on each of them, physically as well as emotionally. They were flown to Sweden where they received life-saving recuperation. They salmoned for three months in a holiday park, enveloped in Rosie’s nurturing hood. This nurturing environment was essential in supporting them to start their healing journey.
In Sweden, a compassionate doctor embraced the survivor, teaching them to walk again while offering a comforting sentiment: "I have a little girl like you." This small act unlocked the possibilities of a different life for them. Most importantly, it put them on an empowering path toward recovery and self-discovery. For 40 years, the survivor dedicated her life to caring for people with chronic, incurable diseases. Through this process, they learned amazing things about what makes life worth living.
The survivor’s faith in small acts of goodness making a huge difference was a touchstone that would serve as a much recurring theme. Their journey from a place of utter despair to one of hope and purpose underscores the resilience of the human spirit. Even still, today they do not take anything for granted, celebrating every bit of progress as an opportunity to do more and create lasting change.
Reflecting on their journey and the meaning of life, the survivor's perspective aligns with sentiments expressed by others who have contemplated this profound question.
"I do not need to know the meaning of life. I do not need to know the purpose of it all. Simply breathing while healthy and safe, and (mostly) happy is such a surprising, awe-inducing, humbling gift that I have no right to question it." – Matt Ridley