"In Court, They Offered Me: 'Let's Close at 15 Years in Prison, Without a Trial'"

"With each day in interrogation during our imprisonment in Romania, it felt like 70 years," Rabbi Menachem Mendel Tobias's voice chokes as he whispers this harsh sentence, recalling the trauma he and his father experienced in communist Romania after World War II. His father, serving as president of the Jewish community, was repeatedly arrested alongside him. His brother, Rabbi Yoel, was also detained with them.

"I was just a young boy then," Rabbi Tobias recalls, "The prison guards were anti-Semitic and repeatedly offered me a 'deal' — go straight to prison for 15 years without an investigation. Naturally, I refused. Hashem helped us, and we were released shortly after, but those times are etched in my memory as if they were today; I can't forget. We left the prison after severe suffering, weak and barely able to stand. Today, I hold a Prisoner of Zion certificate, and I believe few truly understand what it means to be a prisoner for the sake of the Land of Israel."

(Photo: Avraham Seror)

Miracles During the War

"I was born in Romania, in the city of Piatra Neamț," Rabbi Tobias goes back to his early childhood, "My father, Rabbi Shmuel Tobias, served as the city's rabbi and devoted his life to the religious life of the city. I was born in 1945, shortly before the end of World War II. Years later, I learned from my parents that during the war, rabbis in the city had instructed not to stop having children, despite the great danger. The Jews of the city obeyed, and many children were born during the war.

"My father also told me that great miracles happened in Piatra Neamț during the war; despite the threats, the Jews of the city were barely harmed, while in neighboring cities, hundreds of thousands were murdered. My father continued studying and teaching throughout the war without interruption.

"One day during the war," he continues, "A Jew came to warn my father that according to a royal decree, all the Jews were to be evacuated from the city within 24 hours. He said that 54 carriages were ready for the Jews of Piatra Neamț.

(Photo: Avraham Seror)

"My father, with his strong faith in Hashem, went out wrapped in his *tallit* and *tefillin* to 'Merchants Street' — a central street consisting 98% of Jews, announcing to everyone his confidence that Hashem would protect the Jewish people. Then, he returned to his studies.

"The next day, the same Jew approached my father again, informing him that the prime minister still insisted on evacuating all the Jews from the city. It's important to note that Romania experienced severe riots during World War II. "The Romanians were no more merciful than the Germans," Rabbi Tobias clarifies, "The main difference was that the Germans executed with bullets, whereas the less civilized Romanians used axes and irons. The Germans collaborated with the Romanians to take control of the area, needing the local population's cooperation. Part of this plan was to evacuate all the Jews of Piatra Neamț."

However, according to Rabbi Tobias, a great miracle occurred: "The mayor requested to see the prime minister's letter and found it stated, 'I, the Prime Minister of Romania, write that the communist Jews should be evacuated within 24 hours.' The mayor wasn't a particularly compassionate man, but he was unsure which Jews the prime minister referred to since not all were communists, leading him to fear not fully complying with the order. Ultimately, he selected 24 Jews out of the 12,000 residents, alleging they were communists and should be evacuated. Of course, they weren't more communist than others, but from heaven, it was arranged that they were chosen. My father, who was deeply empathetic with their pain, accompanied them to the train, reiterating words of Torah to strengthen them. A wealthy Jew named Elijah Horowitz joined, giving substantial sums to be left with the women remaining with children at home. My father promised them he would undertake 1,000 fasts for their safe return, praying for them continuously.

"Such exiles typically don't return quickly, but after six weeks, all 24 Jews returned home. For days, the city buzzed over how my father's profound prayers had pierced the heavens, achieving the impossible. As I said, many great miracles occurred in the city."

First Place in the Olympiad

For 30 years post-war, the Tobias family remained in Romania, while Menachem Mendel matured into a young man. "By law, I was required to study physics, mathematics, and anatomy," he explains, "I did, even securing first place in Romania's science olympiad and being crowned a science champion, but I never studied on Shabbat, nor did I remove my hat."

"In fact," he notes, "immediately after the war, thousands of Jews from Romania immigrated to Israel. In the following years, Romania's communist regime closed the country's borders, increasing persecutions against religious Jews. In the 1950s, a window opened for Jews to emigrate again, only for the Iron Curtain to fall shortly after.

"I was a young man then," he recalls, "yearning to move to Israel. Still, openly discussing it was strictly forbidden and a severe offense. In those days, hundreds of Jews were arrested, tortured to death, suffering severe injuries and imprisonment."

(Photo: Avraham Seror)

And then it reached us too. "Because my father was considered the president of the Zionist Jews, they constantly monitored him. My father wasn't afraid; he continued speaking fearlessly in Yiddish before the Jews. Then came the arrests, coupled with harsh interrogations, their lives threatened. They fabricated an extensive case against us, with 1,700 pages of allegations, filled with severe documents.

"When they arrested us, they released another prisoner," Rabbi Tobias adds, "and this prisoner traveled six hours to ask us for a special request since he was going to Israel. Father and I asked him one thing—to contact the Admor of Bohosh from Tel Aviv as soon as he arrived in Israel, informing that we were in great danger and requesting prayers for us. I fully believe that the community in Romania and the many prayers back in Israel, along with my father's merits, brought about our release, beyond natural means, after bribing someone with a large sum. Consequently, we managed to leave for Austria and then to Israel."

For the Sake of Israel

Leaving the familiar, beloved community was challenging, yet the Tobias family knew their ultimate goal was to reach Israel.

"Upon arrival, we initially settled in Herzliya," Rabbi Tobias recounts, "Father was offered various positions in local Yeshivas, where he continued imparting Torah to many students. I too tried to follow in his footsteps, leveraging my vast scientific knowledge to connect with academics, engaging them in their language. Now, in my senior years, as a grandparent and great-grandparent, I realize the pivotal role of outreach. A Jew always connects, not just in an official role, but at all times and situations. One must be vigilant and aware."

Finally, one wonders—what has given you strength all these years, especially during your imprisonment?

"Only the thought of Israel. Nowadays, some confuse Zionism with love for the land. When I speak of love for the land, I am not referring to the state itself but to the grandeur of residing in the Land of Israel, breathing its air, and observing the commandments unique to it. Every moment of dwelling in the land is a significant mitzvah. Even in our toughest times, we focused on this, drawing more strength from it than anything else."