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Rabbi Yosef Mendelevich arriving in Israel after 11 years in Russian prison

He laughed at me: “You again with your stupid ideas, I already told you that it is impossible to hold a Seder in the prison!”

Then I showed him the Pesach Seder Plate. He examined it. Everything was in place. And then he said to me: “But you don’t have wine- it’s impossible without the Four Cups.”

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I bent down and took out the water bottle with raisins from under the bunk. The truth is that I wasn’t sure if I would get wine. Hillel uncorked the bottle, smelt, and declared ” real wine.” If that’s the case, come let us sit down and hold the Pesach Seder.”

Thus did I hold a Halachically-correct Pesach Seder in the prison.

The next morning Hillel and all the members of Operation Wedding were freed and emigrated to Israel. For them this was a true “Festival of Exodus from the Gulag.” However, I remained in prison for a further two years. That is what Hashem decreed.

As soon as he arrived in Israel, Hillel Butman told the media how I had held a Pesach Seder in the prison.

The story became “a real Pirsum Haness” – “Publicizing of the Miracle”

Rabbi Mendelovich being welcomed to Israel by Menachem Begin

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In his soon to be released new book, "From the Ends of the Heavens," Rabbi Mendelevich movingly and inspiringly tells how he developed and maintained his Judaism despite the terribly harsh conditions in the KGB prison camps. (Rabbi Mendelevich's articles in The Jewish Press are translated by David Herman)