I don't think there was a person in Israel who didn't watch the Shuttle Columbia blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, yesterday.
We watched with trepidation and anxiety, but above all pride as the graceful white shuttle lifted off into the blue Florida sky, trailing a white plume behind it. For us Israelis, it was a special flight, because our own astronaut, Colonel Ilan Ramon was among the crew, the first Israeli to enter space.
For a short while we allowed ourselves to forget our problems, our differences, even the coming elections, and were united in hailing Colonel Ilan Ramon as our hero.
But for me, there was another hero -- someone that was hardly mentioned in the Israeli media. If it weren't for an American TV station, which briefly stated that Colonel Ilan Ramon's mother was an Auschwitz survivor, I too would have been ignorant of the fact.
To most, the fact that his mother was a Holocaust survivor from Auschwitz may be baffling as to why I would call her a hero.
I will tell you why.
After the collapse of Hitler's Reich and our liberation in the beginning of May, 1945, I served in the US army as an interpreter. I was fortunate enough to have learned English during the war, a language that very few survivors spoke.
I served in a unit that was attached to the CIC, (Army Intelligence). We were 11 men, all of them, except myself, American service men who knew a second language besides their native English. Our job was to find Nazis hiding among the displaced persons in the DP camps.
However, we also visited camps where only Jews lived, such as Feldafing, Fherenwald and more.
For a while I was the interpreter for a Colonel Woodhouse, who for some reason was attached to our unit. Colonel Woodhouse was an English psychiatrist who was sent to evaluate the mental state of the Jewish concentration camp survivors.
"The trauma caused to Jewish inmates of concentration camps was unprecedented in its severity. They would never be able to live normal lives, get married and have children." I will never forget his official evaluation. He didn't keep it a secret and I was able to read it.
“I came to the conclusion that the trauma caused to Jewish inmates of concentration camps was unprecedented in its severity and that they would never be able to live normal lives, get married and have children.
“I have known patients who were subjected to trauma that weren't even a fraction of the trauma the Jews were subjected to and they were psychologically disabled for life. Therefore, I see no hope for them.”
Well, Colonel Woodhouse, allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Ramon, an Auschwitz survivor, who not only got married and brought children to this world, but brought up a son that anyone in the world would be proud of to call as his own, despite your prognosis.
Perhaps, from the medical point of view, he was right. But he didn't count on the spirit of the survivors. When we were liberated, we were almost naked, bereft of all possessions, clad in a prisoner's striped uniform and wooden clogs. We owned nothing, not even underwear, socks or a handkerchief. We were like walking skeletons, all skin and bones.
My schooling was interrupted when I was 12, and I was subjected to brutalities that mankind has never known. I was liberated from the Nazis, but what next? So I stood before a world I considered hostile, age 17, and I had to make my way through it.
And yet I did it and I did it well.
I don't know Mrs. Ramon, but when I watched her son taking off into space, I am sure that she did more than well. Therefore, Mrs. Ramon, I salute you. You too are my hero.
Related articles:
Ilan Ramon: Shattered Dreams
Israeli Ambassador in Space
(25) Anonymous, November 3, 2016 5:02 PM
So interesting and informative I will show my grandchildren
I wish more of my people would teach lessons to their children like this.tradition observance are so important to being Jewish.our rabbis must inspire the young kids.maybe only saying the Amiyah kiddusha once as well as some English.icwas shocked to find my temple attendance down for the fifth year in a row.whan the ark is open most people just talk with no respect.
(24) Raz, Idan and Barak, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
Ilan Ramon's mother is a hero
I think that you are right by naming Ilan Ramon mather a hero.
(23) nitzan & rachella, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
the article was very touching, and was well writing!
we think that lady is a great person beacous not every one can go throw that!
she broghet us a great man to the world
(22) nitzan & rachella, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
the article was very touching, and was well writing!
we think that lady is a great person
(21) IBY NR EK, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
our opinion
hi
we are english speakers from kfar-vradim isreal.
we read the article and were very impressed by that kind of thoght. now days we meet holucust survivors every day and the man that said the survivors cant have a life was wrong!!!
yours,
IBY,NR and EK
(20) Adi Elmaliah & Inbal Dori, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
Ilan Ramon's mother is a true hero
We think Ilan's mom really is a hero -- but no doubt Ilan was born for the job, he worked hard and long to get a chance to be the firt israellie austonaut... anyhow, holicost survivers are always the realy heroes, so we hope that the story goes on in generations and be known as the toughest war ever established...
(19) eyal, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
THE STORY IS REALY GOOD AND MOVEING
(18) Daniel .c.h X2, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
To Mrs Ramon our hero
When we read stories about the holocoust we can't really understand it, because it is so far away from our lives, even that we all know holocoust survvivers, it is so hard to catch the idea that a thing like that could heppend. you are a true hero, you and all the other people that been through it,
(17) ohad eshel and yaniv leedon, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
a great article and very exciting
i loved the article and I identified with solly ganor and her apenions about mrs.ramon. i liked the fact that she combaind her stories about the world war 2. i loved the article and i would like to read more articles of solly ganor.
(16) Uri & Daniel, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
Commit about the article
We thought that the article expressed the fellings of the writer about the true hero that got through the holocaust and had aq wonderful life. she got merried, had children, and her son even became an astronaut... She is really a true hero!
(15) shani&amit, February 5, 2003 12:00 AM
replay my true hero
as two girls who are 12/13 years old and live in israel, we know well the story of the holocaust and think that mrs. ramon is a true hero, especially now when her son had died to the eyes of millions.
shani&amit
(14) Larry Lubetzky, February 4, 2003 12:00 AM
We Litvaksstand together-Well done, Solly
Solly Ganor and myself have gone similar routes all the way from Kaunas to our Liberation by the 522nd FA Bn in Germany via the Ghetto and Dachau..Please transmit my greetings to him from Mexico
(13) Nikki Roth-Skiles, February 2, 2003 12:00 AM
Solly Ganor is Also a Hero
I remember some years ago writing to Solly Ganor as he was a survivor of not only the same camp in Dachau where my one uncle died, but also the same Ghetto - Kaunas. Solly Ganor and Mrs. Ramon (Ilan's mother) showed us that the Jewish people would survive and go on to do great things. Ilan Ramon has done one of those great things. May G_d rest his soul and bring his family peace.
(12) Deborah Peever, February 2, 2003 12:00 AM
My Deepset Sympathy For The Loss Of A Hero
I havd been reading all about this mans life he was already a hero, who came from a long line of heroic blood.I feel your loss but grieve most for his children. Please make sure they have the support & counciling they will surely need. They are so beautiful , it would be what Mr.Ramon would want. I could tell they were undistandably concerned when they were interviewed with their Dad before the flight. TakeCare O Israel you are always in my thoughts and prayers.Deborah Canada
(11) Hadassah Rosenzwiez, February 1, 2003 12:00 AM
Deepest Sympathies
AS we all know now....Ilan Ramon was killed along with the rest of his crew aboard the Columbia. He is an Israeli hero now, just like his mother. Pray for him, his mother, and the rest of the crew of Columbia.
(10) Lennea, February 1, 2003 12:00 AM
Today our hopes and dreams were brought low. What we thought would be a normal day, with a normal landing of the Space Shuttle, was not.
My prayers were with Ilan Ramon as the shuttle mission began... my prayers now rest upon his grieving family and friends. May Hashem give comfort to all those who mourn for Col. Ramon and for the other six members of the Columbia crew. May consolation and strength envelop the family and friends who are grieving for those seven lives we, the world, lost today. May they rest in peace, in the arms of their loving Creator. Amen.
(9) Melanie, February 1, 2003 12:00 AM
Sincere condolances from Canada
I wish to offer my heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of Colonel Ramon. I am very grateful to him for his bravery in his participation in this scientific mission for the betterment of mankind. This morning was a tragic end to their mission and a great loss to all the people of the world. Colonel Ramon and the other astronauts on this mission will not be forgotten. He came from a courageous and strong family and his children, there is no doubt, will carry on that greatness into the future. My heart is with you in this time of need.
(8) Jennifer Rudner, January 23, 2003 12:00 AM
MAKES YOU PROUD TO BE JEWISH
I read Mr Gaynor's article and felt very proud to be Jewish. The spirit which the Jewish people showed during those horrific years and the strength they displayed makes it a feat and an example to all mankind.
(7) John F. Olson, January 21, 2003 12:00 AM
Your story about Astronaut LLan Ramon is very thought provoking and encouraging.
Your story makes me think of my son, Joshua's godfather, Dr. Jeff Hoffman, once heading up the astronauth program at NASA.
(6) Leon Schimmel, January 20, 2003 12:00 AM
Jewish heroism
I feel proud of being profoundly jewish,we survived unbelievable ordeals inflicted upon us by human barbars who I am sure shall be condemned in the end by the other part of the human democratic mankind.
(5) Joseph Pfefer, January 20, 2003 12:00 AM
very moving - a tribute to the Jewish Human Spirit
I was very moved by the article - not only the pride of having an Israeli, Observant Jew in Space, but, of what the 'experts' were telling the world of the Jews who survived the camps.
(4) Anonymous, January 19, 2003 12:00 AM
thanks for the reminder
Thank you for reminding us of the big picture. Many of us who grew up in survivor homes know of the intense spiritual and emotional challenges with which holocaust survivors struggled(and continue to struggle). As the next generation, we often see the unpleasant legacies of the holocaust visited upon our children, if only through its effects on us, their parents. We wish we were not raised by damaged people, and were not ourselves damaged people, so as not to pass along some of that damage to our kids. Even those of us with healthy parents grew up with great pain and fear; it was part and parcel of living. It is wonderful to remember to put this all in perspective. We tend to take anything less than perfection as an indictment. In fact, mere survival is a victory; actually thriving is beyond victorious. May G-d continue to give our survivor parents the strength they need to meet their continued challenges, and may we, their children, get the strength we need to embrace this terrible legacy in all its positive aspects. May all of this suffering bring us to the final redemption...soon.
(3) Miles D. Herman, Esq., January 19, 2003 12:00 AM
The indomitable spirit & Jewish desire to excel
I too salute Mrs. Ramon and her son, in whom she likely instilled much of the "right stuff," to coin NASA vernacular! In defense of Dr. Woodhouse, the degree of suffering by Jews and others in the camps was - for lack of adequate adjectives - "mind blowing." Who had seen that degree of atrocity before? In any event, this is a truly great historical space mission and personal achievement for mother and son! "Mazal tov."
(2) Denise Rootenberg, January 19, 2003 12:00 AM
Mr. Ganor, you are my hero too
You are our proof that Am Yisrael Chai despite all the horrors visited upon us.
(1) susan lhota, January 19, 2003 12:00 AM
We stand amazed and blessed!`
Your story on the Israeli astronaut's Mother and the beyond description brutality you and she endured was touching and moving. It is unfathomable to me that this evil was carried out and millions of you perished. God surely brought honor to Israel through this man's feat and to the Mother who bore him.