"Shema Yisrael" That Changed Destinies: The Remarkable Story of Jewish Children Saved from Monasteries After the Holocaust

Following the Holocaust, many Jewish children were hidden in monasteries across Europe, stripped of their true identity. The wall of silence and refusal from the heads of the monasteries made efforts to rescue them and bring them back to the Jewish people difficult. In this harsh reality, the efforts of Rabbi Yitzchak Herzog, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, stood out as he dedicated his strength and soul to saving Jewish children forgotten within the walls of the monasteries. With strong faith and rare wisdom, Rabbi Herzog demonstrated that childhood memories and Jewish identity are deeply embedded in the soul, even in times of darkness.

Rabbi Chaim Sabato tells one of the special stories that teaches about education and identity from birth:

After the Holocaust, it became known that more than 3,000 Jewish children were hiding in monasteries, unaware that they were Jewish. A wall of silence surrounded the monasteries. Rabbi Herzog went to the Pope, to the Vatican. "Each child is a thousand children to us," pleaded the rabbi with tears.

Rabbi Herzog personally went from monastery to monastery. "There are no Jewish children here!" the head of the monastery said sternly and with a serious face. The rabbi asked to see for himself. A nun from the monastery brought out row after row of children in gray school aprons. The rabbi spoke to their hearts. "Who here is Jewish?" he asked. The children stood motionless, no sign visible on their faces. Complete silence, quiet. The rabbi’s companions were filled with disappointment, preparing to continue to the next monastery on their list. What would happen?!

Then, just before they left, Rabbi Herzog suddenly turned to the children and called out in a loud voice with all his strength: "Shema Yisrael, Hashem Eloheinu, Hashem Echad." The right hands of seven small children instinctively rose to cover their eyes.

"These are Jews!" Rabbi Herzog exclaimed with excitement. "Their mothers taught them this when they lulled them to sleep in their cradles before the days of darkness."

The moment Rabbi Herzog called "Shema Yisrael" and the children instinctively covered their eyes was a moment of miracle and revelation of their Jewish identity buried deep in their hearts. This act is not just a story of rescuing children but also a testament to the power of heritage and the soul of the Jewish people, which is not forgotten even in the harshest conditions. The story serves as inspiration for generations, teaching about the power of education, identity, and faith as anchors that hold a person even in their darkest moments.