In Honor of Professor Dov Levin

Bilha, Dov, Robert, Basmat

Translation to English of the letter from the President of Israel that was read during the program.

18 Av 5774
14 August 2014
In Honor of Professor Dov Levin
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The book "The Story of an Underground" describes vividly and accurately the story of the fighting organization of the Jews of Kovno in the Second World War.
In spite of their training and experience as historians and scholars of the humanities, the authors did not approach their task as people looking at the events from a distance. The comprehensive description of the fighting organization of the Jews of Kovno is delivered by eye witnesses and active partners in the struggle against the Nazis, from partisans and from members of the underground.
Professor Dov Levin and Professor Zvi Brown (z"l) describe the story of the resistance of the Lithuanian Jews while recounting the testimony of their comrades and their own testimony as faithful sons of Lithuanian Jewry, as soldiers in the fighting force of the Jews of Kovno, and as full partners in the establishment, building, and strengthening of the State of Israel.
This collection of historical testimonies presents an impressive picture of heroism, self-sacrifice, courage, and patience of young Jews building a fighting resistance inside the areas of Nazi conquest.
About a decade ago I spoke before members of the Lithuanian Parliament and told them that Lithuania is not exempt from a collective reckoning with its past, that opening a new page is impossible without a recognition of historical responsibility. You cannot accept the claim of people that assert that the fact that they were subject to the Nazi occupation releases them from responsibility for the horrors that they themselves committed, with enthusiastic collaboration.
Historical responsibility is acquired through historical awareness, which is a result of testimonies and research that slowly add up and comprise a clear picture of the complex of events.
Until today Levin and Brown's book "The Story of an Underground" was available in the Hebrew language. Its translation into English that was made possible by Robert (Reuven) Geffen, makes these testimonies accessible to the entire research world and reveals the wonderful story of Jewish heroism to a wide audience that thirsts for knowledge about the chronicles of Lithuanian Jewry.
With the publication of the English edition of the book "The Story of an Underground", I would like to wish the author, Professor Dov Levin, and the initiator of the translation, Mr. Robert (Reuven) Geffen, many more years of fulfilling activity and good health.
Congratulations and regards,
Reuven (Rubi) Rivlin

Click here for the Preface to "A story of An Underground"

Click Here for te bio of Professor Levin
Click here for information of the book
With a Rifle in My Hand
and Eretz Yisrael in My Heart
by Dov Levin