Holocaust survivor and respected philanthropist BEN LESSER died September 23, 2025 at the age of 96. You may recall that I wrote an article about him surviving horrific ordeals at the hand of the NaziI Concentration Camps of World War II.
I went into extensive, though limited detail as to what he miraculously endured and lived to chronicle in his book Living A Life That Matters. What I didn’t elaborate on was the gut wrenching and downright nauseating details of the atrocities that Ben witnessed.
His descriptions were so graphic and precise, it was as if I was there in the presence of the evil being inflicted as it occurred. In an interview he gave in 2013, he was asked why he published his book.
He said, “I wanted others to understand the necessity of actively working to end the hatred that leads to genocide.” The interviewer then followed up with: “What happened to your hatred?”
Ben replied, “I had to make a decision. Hatred destroys your initiative. If I were consumed with hatred, how could I be a loving husband, father or make a good life for us? It is completely destructive to the mind and to the soul to contribute to the healing of others.”
This brings to mind the saying, “Those who choose to ignore history are doomed to repeating it!” Do you see the irony in this statement?
Look at the world we live in today and reflect on the nearly identical widespread sentiment expressed toward those of the Jewish faith that they faced during the 1930s.
One sidenote: Ben died on the first day of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. In Jewish tradition, a person who dies on this special holiday, is considered a “tzaddik” or a person of great righteousness. Could you think of a better tribute to this extraordinary man?
On a personal note: I am privileged to be among the few who had the opportunity of meeting and interviewing this most inspiring human being. My life is the richer for having known him!
