Eddie Jaku survived the Holocaust after he was interred multiple times, escaped to Belgium, escaped from a train en route to Auschwitz, hid in an attic until he was discovered and eventually taken to the concentration camps, where the number 72338 was crudely tattooed onto his left forearm. He came to Sydney in 1950 and rebuilt his life anew.
Eddie was one of the most important speakers I would bring to my students. Each time I heard his story, I grew a little more as a person. His countless talks and best-selling biography has made an impact on hundreds of thousands around the world.
Having experienced the darkest depths to which humanity can descend, he never harbored hatred and was always positive. His message, as here in our last conversation in my office, was that we can all follow suit, through love, hope and the right perspective.
Today, I learned with over 200 youth, something that Eddie did on a daily basis, and I will dedicate the learning to him.
May we all find one good deed we can do in his honor, as this was his life - יהי זכרו ברוך
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