Darkness and Hope

Book excerpt: Sam Halpern’s eyewitness account of a flourishing Jewish life wiped out by the Nazis, Sam’s miraculous survival, and his ultimate success in America. In this incredible memoir, Sam Halpern lovingly and mournfully shares his life story—from his vibrant childhood in Chorostkow, Poland, to the horrors of the labor camp he was forced into by the Nazis, and ultimately his survival with his brother Arie. We see Sam’s deep affection for his parents, Mordechai Dov and Bella Halpern, and brothers, Naftali, Avrum Chaim, and Arie, and are introduced to the people, customs, and traditions of the Chorostkow shtetl. We also have an up-close view of the cruelty and horror inflicted by the Nazis. While in a forced labor camp, Sam is beaten, nearly starved, and ill with typhus, but ultimately as a result of street smarts and divine intervention, Sam and Arie escape and are miraculously hidden until liberation. Throughout the darkness, they maintain hope. After the war, Sam meets Gladys, the exceptional woman who becomes the love of his life and with whom he will raise four sons. Together with Arie, they eventually make it to the United States where they raise families and are international advocates for the Jewish community. This beautifully written story was originally published in 1996. This new edition features a moving contribution by Rabbi Israel Meir Lau and a wealth of new photos, and is published in honor of Sam and in advance of what would have been his one hundredth birthday.