Being a voracious reader, I have accumulated books on subjects ranging from modern history to ancient philosophies. My favorite books, however, aren’t by Nobel Prize winning authors, nor do they have the fluorescent covers typical of philosophical texts. Instead, they are the three books written by my grandfather, Moshe-David Khayet. The books are about my grandfather’s life, and although I can barely read the Hebrew texts, they are extremely important to me and have had a lasting impact on my life.
One of the most memorable stories from these books concerns my grandfather’s fourteen year detainment as a political prisoner. At the same time America was recovering from a vicious attack by Japan and World War II was raging in Europe, my grandfather and his family were exiled to a labor camp in the Russian Far North because of their capitalist views. My grandfather was only sixteen years old, but he was appointed the head of the prisoners, among whom were some of the most prominent scholars and intellectuals of Russia. Much like my grandfather’s family, they had been incarcerated for failing to live up to the standards set forth by the Communist dictatorship. In the camp the prisoners were provided little food and clothing, and were subjected to demanding physical labor under extreme temperatures, often falling below minus forty degrees Celsius. My grandfather and his family were finally released after Stalin’s death in 1953.
My grandfather went on to marry, have two children, and become a construction executive. He is a courageous man who withstood the pressures of society in order to stay true to his beliefs, who overcame anti-semitism to find meaning for himself and his family, and who had dreams that he would one day write books as a free man. Moshe-David Khayet was only recently allowed this opportunity by immigrating to Israel, after the fall of the Iron Curtain. He is now a deeply religious man of 76, who goes to synagogue several times a day to pray for peace, not only in Jerusalem but the entire world.
My grandfather fought in Russia for the same freedoms and liberties that colonists fought for in the Revolutionary War. I have been taught through my grandfather’s life to follow my beliefs regardless of obstacles and misfortunes that stand in the way. My grandfather has been a role-model of the importance of hard work, honesty, and integrity. It is because of him that I learned to respect other people, never give up hope, and realize that anything is possible. Although I don’t often get a chance to see my grandfather in person, he is always with me; for he is in every decision I make, in every action I take, and every accomplishment I achieve.
