The American Dream; just the words alone seem to have
a magical ring. For over two hundred years, through
untold numbers of journeys by land and sea, millions of
people left their families behind in Europe and other places
and arrived in the United States in the hope of finding the
streets “paved with gold,” so that they may strike it rich and
live the good life. Or, at the very least, earn enough money to
send to their loved ones back home.
For some it was a triumph;
for others a dismal and abject failure. But for one individual, it
was the difference between life and death for himself and his
entire family.
In 1927, Reb Boruch Frankel left his wife and three children
back in Poland and made the transatlantic journey by steamer
to the New York harbor to try to make a living and support
his family. It was quite a sacrifice. Reb Boruch was a scion of
a great Chassidic lineage, and his roots were firmly planted
back in the old country. Yet, he realized that there was greater
opportunity in America, and together with a fellow immigrant
he met in New York, he started an import business which did
rather well.
For three solid years, Reb Boruch and his partner
labored in the business and, with Hashem’s grace, they raised more than enough money for their families back home. Soon,
they believed, they would head back to the old country and
be hailed as champions of industry, the models of industrious
success.
It was towards the end of his third year in New York when
Reb Boruch received the telegram that would change his life.
His father had passed away and he was required by Jewish
law to sit shivah for seven days. Reb Boruch informed his
partner that he would be unavailable for the next week due
to his personal loss and his friend assured him that he could
manage without him for those few days. Reb Boruch sat shivah
in his small apartment on the Lower East Side, and his few
acquaintances and associates came to pay their respects.
One day, in the middle of the shivah, his partner arrived
and sat down opposite the mourner, as per Jewish custom.
Reb Boruch was glad to see him and he spoke a bit about his
father. At one point in the conversation, the partner excused
himself and pulled a paper out of his pocket. He explained
that an important matter had come up which required both
partners’ signatures. Reb Boruch nodded and without even
glancing at the contents of the paper, signed it and handed it
back. After a few more minutes, the partner stood up, intoned
the customary words of consolation, and left.
After the week of shivah had concluded, Reb Boruch arrived
at his office to find the place cleared out and his partner
nowhere to be found. It took some time before Reb Boruch
was able to learn the entire story: His “partner” had duped
him into signing a paper that gave away his entire portion of
the business! Knowing that Reb Boruch would not read the
fine print on the document during his period of mourning, he
came during the shivah and cheated his one-time friend and
partner out of his life’s savings! And during those very days that Reb Boruch was unavailable, he sold the entire business
and ran away with the money, never to be heard from again.
Reb Boruch was left penniless, without enough money
even to return to his family in Europe.
Understandably, he was
devastated over the situation. He could not understand how
somebody could sink so low, and he walked around for days
believing that this was the worst thing that could ever have
happened. But the tides of destiny were coming in and they
held the future salvation of the Frankel family.
With no place to go and no means to get there, Reb Boruch
was forced to remain in New York. He took a job and earned
some money. After two more years, someone suggested that
he apply for American citizenship. Reb Boruch did so and in
a short time, he became a naturalized American citizen. But
he truly longed for home and he missed his family sorely, so
after a few more months, Reb Boruch took whatever savings
he had accumulated and returned to Poland, to the loving
embrace of his family.
Years passed and by the summer of 1939, it was clear that
war was imminent. The German army was poised to invade
Poland, and the situation for millions of Polish Jews was
becoming egregious.
Many Jews wished to emigrate from
Poland but most had nowhere to go. Boruch Frankel, on the
other hand, was an American citizen and thus was able to
procure a visa for himself with little difficulty. Securing visas
for his family, however, was an entirely different matter. This
was a huge deal which could take months, if not years, to
complete. Nobody knew the future and nobody wished to
wait years. It was decided that his best option was to return
to America alone, and from there arrange for his family to
escape the impending war in Europe and join him.
Upon his arrival in America, he worked day and night
until he successfully arranged visas and tickets for his entire family.
His wife and four children were scheduled to depart
from the Italian port of Trieste on September 1, 1939, aboard
the ocean-liner, Queen Elizabeth. To his chagrin and utter
disappointment, he was informed by the shipping company
that due to the outbreak of war, the voyage was canceled.
His family was stranded in Italy for the time being, but with
renewed efforts, Reb Boruch was able to secure them tickets
aboard a second ship.
With the guiding hand of Providence, the Frankel family
set sail on November 1, 1939, on the very last passenger
ship leaving Italy. Traveling from Trieste, to Kosice in
Czechoslovakia, to Ellis Island in New York, the Frankel family
survived the war. And the dishonest partner who stole every
penny, forcing Reb Boruch to remain in New York? Who
knows... if it wasn’t a Divine messenger sent from on High?
From Heroes Of Faith
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Sometimes in life our biggest loss is really our biggest gain!!
