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Mort Laitner

A Righteous Polish Woman

Elizabeth sings like a bird flying through the gates of paradise.

A canary with vocal chords housed in her heart.

A Polish heart beating out the lyrics of love songs.

Love songs that touch on the meaning of life.

Elizabeth is a poet, a singer and a philosopher.

I have heard her;

Recite her poetry;

Whisper her songs in to my ears;

And voice her philosophy of love.

Thanks to Facebook, I have just learned that Elizabeth studied philosophy at the University of Warsaw.

I have known Elizabeth for eleven years.

For 11 years, we have belonged to the South Florida Writers Association.

For 11 years, we have been friends on Facebook.

Elizabeth, a Catholic mother who has raised three sons and kept one of them alive with the medicine of love and healing power of prayers.

Elizabeth, an American who carries herself as a righteous member of Polish nobility.

Elizabeth who waited 11 years, before she told me this story about her mother.

“Mort, during the war, my mother lived in Warsaw.

She witnessed a horrible murder.

An SS officer caught two small Jewish children outside the Ghetto walls. These starving children scavenged for food. At gun point, the officer marched the crying children to the side of a red brick factory wall. After placing his pistol back in his holster, he grabbed the smaller child by his ankles and swung his head into wall. The child’s brains spattered across the the red bricks.

My mother, who worked in that red brick factory, fumbled through her woolen coat’s pockets for some hidden gold jewelry.

Finding the jewelry, she rushed up to the Nazi murderer and placed her valuables into his hands.

Simultaneously, my mother grabbed the hand of the other Jewish child and ran toward her apartment.”

“Did your mom ever get caught?”

“Did the Jewish kid survive the war?”

“Yes, the Jewish child survived the war. He went on to study business at the University of Warsaw. He became a successful businessman in Yugoslavia.

And every year until the end of her life, on my mom’s birthday, a hundred white roses arrived in her apartment from man whose life she had saved.

With a tear in my eye, I whispered, “Your mother was a brave and righteous women.”

About the Author
Florida's Jewish short-story writer, speaker, film producer and retired attorney. Mort is the co-editor of "Sea Of Tranquility---A Literary Anthology." The book is scheduled to land on the Moon in November of 2025 as part of the Lunar Codex Project. The Earthbound editions are now on sale on Amazon. He has also authored, "A Hebraic Obsession", "The Hanukkah Bunny" and "The Greatest Gift." Mort has produced an award-winning short film entitled, "The Stairs". Movie can be viewed for free online. ChatGPT says, "Mort is known for his works that often explore themes of love, loss, and the human connection. Laitner has published several books , including “A Hebraic Obsession.” His writing style is characterized by its emotional depth and introspection. Laitner’s works have garnered praise for their heartfelt expression and keen insight into the human experience." Mort was the president of the South Florida Writers Association and a correspondent for the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel Jewish Journal.
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