חנוכה – Latka Recipe – Chanuka

A Menorah in Burgen Belson

Rav Shraga Shmole Shinitzer (Rav Shmelker) used to say, “A Jew never gives up.”

In 1944, during the month of Kislev, Rabbi Shraga Shmole Shinitzer, also knows as the Rav Shmelker, said to the people in his barracks,  “We are going to light Chanukah candles. We are going to have a menorah.  And we will be able to celebrate Chanukah even here in the barracks of Burgen Belsen.”  Some of the people thought this was just ridiculous but he was determined to find oil and light Chanukah candles. He siad to them, A Jew never gives up! A Jew never gives up.”

A few days before Chanukah, he was walking in the field and his foot tripped on something sticking under the ground.  Something was buried there.  It was a little package of oil.  He also saw that under the little jar of oil, there were 8 cups and wicks.  

He believed that someone had to hide these things. So he reburried the oil, cups and wicks and returned to the barracks. He asked if anyone hid a menorah or oil but no one believed what he was saying.  The next day he looked to see if anyone went back to take the menorah but nobody did.  

On the first night of Chanukah, Rav Shmelker went out very quietly to dig up the menorah and oil and brought it back to the barracks. When the guards weren’t looking, he and the other Jews lit the Menorah. Some people were even crying.  That Chanukah, they were able to light the menorah for all eight days in the camp of Buren Belsen.

April, 1945, the war was over and the surviving Jews were allowed to leave. Rav Shmelker went to Hungary and was a rabbi to other survivors of the holocaust. He became known as the Chobber Rav.  Some time after, he visited the Rav Yoel Titlebaum, also known as the great Satmer Rebbi in America. The Satmer Rebbe also was a survivor of the concentration camp of Buren Belsen. They began talking about their experience and difficulties they had in the concentration camp. The Satmer Rebbe told him that on the 21 day of Kislev, he was rescued. He also said that he felt bad because he bribed a guard so that he can hide a menorah and oil to light on Chanukah but it was never used. When Rav Shmelker heard this, his mouth dropped open. He said, “Rebbe, Rebbe, your Menorah was used and you can’t imagine how much hope and strength you gave to us.”  The Rav Shmelker told him the hole story and the Satmer Rebbe thought how Hashem made another miracle of oil in the month of Kislev.