In the first week after its release, the new Project Witness documentary, “Giant,” has already been seen by thousands of people. This film is the extra-ordinary biography of a previously almost-unrecognized hero, Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl, zt’l, of the Nitra Yeshiva in Slovakia, whose intellectual talents were brilliantly reflected in intensive Torah learning and challenging numerical research. Despite his brilliance, a major part of Rabbi Weissmandl’s life was, however, irrevocably committed to undertaking daring lifesaving exploits on behalf of his co-religionists before and during World War II. Even after the war, when the Holocaust were over, Rabbi Weissmandl labored in America on behalf of 70 lost and lonely bachurim, remnants of the horror of the Holocaust, essentially becoming their “father” as he worked tirelessly to rebuild the Nitra Yeshiva/the Yeshiva Farm Settlement (as it was known in those days) in Mount Kisco, New York.
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This new documentary, the product of months of tenacious research and meaningful interviews, seeks to fill in many gaps connected to Rabbi Weissmandl’s accomplishments and will serve as a lasting tribute to his leadership, his scholarship, and his deep and abiding love for his nation. In addition, it is sincerely hoped that his exploits, his courage, and his heroic tenacity will inspire the upcoming generation.
Heroes are made, not born, and Rabbi Weissmandl and his life story prove that statement without a doubt. What does the word hero mean to us as Jews? We are not overly-impressed by so-called heroes of the secular world; in fact, we often fail to understand how it is possible to think of them in positive terms at all. Our heroes, rather, are spiritual men and women, dedicating their lives to the survival of their brethren in times of sorrow. Our heroes battle unwaveringly for our faith and existence, and the heritage they bequeath us results in an ongoing awareness of what it takes to really make a true hero.
Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl left his indelible imprint on the sands of time. Who among us can fill those gigantic footprints? Who will be our next Weissmandl? Who will step up to give his or her all, no matter the scorn, to fulfill the mission of the preservation of Klal Yisrael in the face of today’s foes? Who among the young generation will be fired with the inspiration to lead intelligently, confidently, audaciously, and valiantly, as he did? Few today understand the level of Rabbi Weissmandl’s heroism, his boldness, his unwavering opposition to those who refused to hear his clamoring call for help, and the cries of his broken heart echoing down the years and beseeching us to act today.