MENACHEM MENDEL (MAX) NORDON

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MENACHEM MENDEL (MAX) NORDON September 18, 1926 - March 24,2003 10 Tishrei, 5687 - 20 Adar II, 5763 Born in Radomsk, Poland, to Dovid and Leah Nordon, raised in Lodz, Poland, the youngest of 13 children. He reached Bar Mitzvah at the outbreak of one of the darkest hours of civilization, and spent his adolescence in Lodz ghetto and forced labour and concentration camps through Poland and Germany. At the end of the war, searching through the smoke and dust and rubble of what was left of his world, he found only one surviving sister. He remained in Germany a short time and was involved in a network that helped smuggle Jews to Israel. He worked tirelessly the rest of his life supporting the Jewish homeland, the one place in the world where he knew, no matter how much it was and is denied by those who did and would perpetrate the atrocities that he was witness to, Jews have a G-d-given right to inhabit, the one place in the world that will shelter and protect his people, the one place in the world where no Jew will ever hear the words "you cant live here as Jews, you cant live here, you cant live." It was his heartfelt passion that no matter what the world presented, there would always be a home with an open door and outstretched arms for Jews to go to. He moved to Sweden, where he worked in a shipyard, and then to Winnipeg, where he married his wife of 47 years, Ruth, and raised his children, Judi and David. Everything having been taken from him, he came with no family, no possessions and little education, but he taught himself to speak, read and write a new language, set up businesses, working as a grocer and an upholsterer, and established a family of his own. He was an avid follower of world events, with a keen interest in history and politics. He was devoted to Jewish causes and it was his pride and comfort to live to see his seven grandchildren thrive as Torah observant Jews. This was his answer to the Nazis who tried to eradicate his people, a living testimony honouring those who could not pass the torch, his proof that when darkness tries to envelope the light, not only can it not extinguish it, but it will blaze stronger and hotter and brighter than before. In a world that took so much from you, you gave so much back. In a world that showed you hate and scorn, you showed love and respect. In a world that tried to crush you, you rose up and lifted those around you. In a world of deceit, you had honesty and integrity. In a world that showed you ruthlessness and brutality, you showed compassion, courage, strength, honour, dignity, and grace. In an ugly world that tried to break you, you fixed what was broken, and made it strong and beautiful. In a world that abandoned you, you gave commitment and devotion. To a world that scorched the earth, you planted and nurtured and gave back fruit. You not only survived, you triumphed. Your memory will be a blessing and will be honoured by your family, wife Ruth, daughter and son-in-law, Judi and David Cohen, son, David, and grandchildren, Yonatan Moshe, Shlomo Dov-Ber, Miriam Yocheved, Rivka, Shoshana Rosa, Ora Tmima, and Chana Yedida Cohen. "Give us joy corresponding to the days You afflicted us, the years we have seen adversity. Let Your work be revealed to Your servants and Your splendour be upon their children. May the pleasantness of the L-rd, our G-d be upon us. Establish for us the work of our hands." Psalm 90 If desired, donations in Maxs honour may be made to the Canadian Magen David Adom for Israel (1-800-731-2848), or a charity of your choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 29, 2003