As beautiful pearls are produced by the suffering of an oyster, so the Holocaust created beautiful heroes–not only among the victims and survivors but also among the others who risked their own lives in order to help those who were persecuted and to save their lives–people like my old nurse, Anna, and her family.

Even among the most sorrowful memories, the humanitarian acts performed by compassionate individuals shine above the dark side of brutality.

I wrote this book because good can be learned even from one of the worst human tragedies. In life–and even in death–the human spirit, love, and fine principles lead the way for the survivors.

When we reach the end of our days and make an inventory of our actions, we should conclude: “I did the right thing–for myself and for others. My time was spent well and my life has been valuable and worthwhile.” We have to make a choice either to become a suppressor, taking advantage of the misery of others, or to remain humane even in an inhumane environment.

The light from the yellow star should always remain with us.