About the“The broad historical perspective, surveying from a distance the
continuum of time and space, cast a light of heroism and self-sacrifice
on the deeds of Mordechai and of all those engaged in the rescue of
Jews throughout Romania.”
This book unfolds the life story of the late Mordechai
Ressell, a man of the land and a man of letters, broad
in knowledge and spirit. From his childhood in Arad,
Transylvania, through the heroic efforts he and his
companions undertook to rescue Jews during the
Holocaust, and on to the building of a family with his
wife Esther at the Nir Etzion farm, the book traces a
life shaped by courage, responsibility, and vision.
Mordechai’s wide-ranging endeavors were guided by
a deep sense of mission and a strong commitment to
the values of Judaism and Zionism. In the literary and
journalistic writing that accompanied his public activity, he saw a moral and
social calling.
He carried with him the pain of the disaster of the immigrant ship Mefkura,
which sank in the Black Sea, and embarked on a personal journey to lift the
memory of its victims from the depths of oblivion into the forefront of
national remembrance.

Ruti Dafna-Ressell, the daughter of Mordechai Ressell, worked for many years in
education and cognitive coaching for youth. She is the author of two children’s
books and a book for parents and educators. This is her fourth book, in which a
deep emotional connection is formed with both
family history and national memory. Through a
unique blend of documentation, poetic
expression, and spirit, this work seeks to
illuminate chapters of personal and collective
remembrance. book