Book of Blessing

I was never afraid of people or dogs. When the Nazi’s entered my life, I became afraid of people. Since I had no brothers or sisters, my father gave me a most loyal, loving and obedient friend to keep me company while he and mother were at work.

He was a male terrier, with black eyes trustingly peeking through gray fur, and answering to “Motek.” I played with him, teased him, bathed him and fed him. I would talk to him, and my soft low voice seemed to get through and calm him. As a matter of fact, people used to say that my voice could quell an erupting volcano.

After the Germans came, we were forced to live in the Warsaw ghetto. The Nazi’s murdered my father; my mother starved to death in a slave labor camp; Motek was shot by the Germans; and the ghetto was burned to the ground. I was placed on the transfer list to the slave labor camp at Skarzynsko-Kamienna.

The Camp Kommandant was a tough SS officer who ruled with an iron fist. His men patrolled the area with vicious guard dogs to prevent resistance or escape. No one had a friend, except for me. Surprisingly, I shared him with the ruthless SS Kommandant. I didn’t know his name, but I called him “Kelev,” Hebrew for dog. He was the only thing that seemed to bring an occasional smile to the hard face of the Kommandant. Kelev was a magnificent Great Dane, with smooth black and white fur contoured by every muscle into a picture of strength and power. His dark eyes were sad and penetrating. He had free run of the camp and sniffed and barked at the grimy prisoners. He frightened and terrorized them, but not me. I talked to him, petted him, played with him, calmed him, and we became friends. It meant so much to me to have someone to talk to, to care for, to caress, to be snuggled up against and to be slobbered over. He assuaged my feeling of hopelessness.

One morning, we were ordered to assemble for “parade.” Those who appeared healthy were motioned to one side to be shipped to factories; and those who looked too ill to work were ordered to the other side, to be shot. I was sent to join the condemned. Suddenly, I heard a yip and a bark. I looked to see the Great Dane move away from the Kommandant; walk slowly, carefully, powerfully and majestically toward me, his eyes never leaving mine. His tail swung in a deliberate, even beat like a metronome as he came alongside me to be caressed. I bent over; l smiled at him, talked to him, stroked his head and back, rubbed his sides, and softly said my farewell. He licked my bony hand. Much to my surprise, the Kommandant suddenly called to one of the officers, motioned toward me, and I was ordered to leave the group of the dead and join that of the living. Kelev walked beside me, close to my bony legs, as I took my place among the lucky ones.

Ester Milsbsteins

Comment:
Ester now lives in Israel, and she owes her life to Kelev, the Great Dane, who saved her from certain death in the slave labor camp at Skarzynske-Kamienna. A dog, it is said, is man’s best friend. All animals are God’s creatures, and should be treated kindly and lovingly as friends. At Sacred Heart on the feast of St. Francis, a lover of animals, we have the Blessing of animals every year. It is always a joyful festival of friendship between people and their animals. We need to acknowledge that animals are a precious part of our lives.
Fr. Hugh Duffy