Work, Study, and Functioning 1

One of the characteristics of a meaningful life that seen in most of the interviews is the need to function in society after all the years they had been cut off from the world. This need is reflected mainly in 3 levels: (1) The need to find a place of work, both to earn a living, and to belong to society; (2) the longing to study. Some of them did not go to school because they were too young when the war broke out and some were cut off from the study circles; (3) fulfill organizational social roles, which may create a social status and roles that contribute to the indi- vidual and to society. They described not only the need to work but also the need to progress and reach a higher level position, each time. Their testimonies show a need to continue living. Yoram described it in an unequivocal way. In his opin- ion, being busy is part of the healing process.

Yoram says:"… I give deep respect to Holocaust Survivors and I know what strength it

takes to rise up from the ashes. And I can say that keeping busy is the best cure…"

Azriel refers to his work as the most important need to continue his existence. In his opinion, other people that he met felt the same need.

Azriel …" I was busy working all the time… Always, when the conversation started..The

main question was whether the person worked or not.”

Eva indicated the importance of work. Her need to work was so strong that she worked without salary part of the time, as a volunteer, in order to contribute to society, to join (t) the working circle, to be part of the community.

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“I gave private lessons in English… … Later on I worked as a translator and a teacher… I volunteered to read at the Radio for 5 years in English programs”.

Arie also attributes a lot of importance to work. He describes the assistance that he re- ceived from friends at the beginning and how he advanced in his positions.

Arie "… I was helped to find a job ,friends here, arranged for me a job in the English

army cantina, and there my role was " to sniff around…Then I started to work in the health organization as a clerk I was… Then I started to work in bookkeeping because I needed livelihood…”

Yonit says: "…, I stayed a year in the kibbutz. There I worked in everything…Later I

was a dressmaker and immediately started to work from home. I had one room only… I knew that I wanted to work. It was very important for me…"

Shy: "… I was the editor of the "Spark" paper until my arrival to Israel… A month and a

half after the liberation I published the paper, I had interest in life even there…"

It is evident that the emphasis for all of them is their readiness to work immediately. They did not recoil from any occupation. Some of them not only joined the working cir- cle, but also wished to fulfill their youth dream, interrupted because of the Holocaust, the dream to study and progress. Although they were not always able to achieve their plans before the war, it did not stop them from continuing and striving to reach their main goal, which was to study, after the war had ended.

Arie "…And ,then I started to think about studies because I always wanted to be a doc-

tor… but I knew that the economic situation will not allow me because I needed to work in the day and Law school was the only option to learn in the evening…. I learned and I worked. It was difficult…"

Aviho: "…At the same time I started studying at the University of Munich. I signed up

for 5 subjects. Each day I traveled from the camp to the university and at nights I would work at the camp. We actually built there a small Jewish state. We were 1/4 million Jews…"

Menachem describes a combination between studies and work out of his desire to ad- vance and obtain better positions.

Menachem:"…I studied half days for 4 years because I continued working as a maintain-

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Since then I learned much Hebrew and also other things… I studied for a bachelor de- gree at the Jerusalem University, I studied literature…”

Shy studied and worked: "… I went to study and worked very little…My wife was the

main financial supporter of our family…"

Some of them describe the need to study and work as a way to avoid thinking about the fate of their families.

Aviho:"… I did not have time to think what happened to my family or the Jewish people.

I contributed myself to work for the community and hard studies for myself this is how I am keeping busy all the time…"

Menachem "…work makes forget the Holocaust in the past and also now I need in or-

der to forget…"

Another way to belong, and be part of society and return to life, as described by the Sur- vivors interviewed is to accept various social roles. Aviho volunteered to organize the Survivors immediately after their liberation. Yonit dedicates part of her time to help oth- ers.

Aviho says: "…. The Holocaust that happened to me and to all of us the people of Israel,

instead of being sad and thinking about this I started to organize a group of people…"

Yonit says : "…I helped people as I worked and felt excellent…"

Yonit : "… I also felt excellent because my work was interesting and helpful to people.

Naturally that helped the feeling of belonging….”

Others joined defense organizations or the military service.

Arie:"… I was active in the Etzel (the secret military movement before the War of Inde-

pendence) and that also gave me a sense of belonging.”

Menachem volunteered to the Hagana and participated in its operations. Later on he en- listed in the IDF.

Menachem: "… I was asked if I want to enter the 'Hagana', a secret military organization

before the establishment of the state…I was sent to different courses and also to an of- ficer's course…"

Shraga joins Kibbutz Nitzanim and becomes one of its founders.

Shraga says: "…I will overcome. …I arrived to Nitzanim. We started setting up Nitza-

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Shy offered another example to belonging and having a meaningful life: “I’m active as a

journalist. I published a lot, and I do research on the subject of World War II and Ger- many.”