Congratulations to Abraham I. Seruya! One hundred and seventy-seven essays were submitted to the Monmouth County Genealogy Society’s “Family History Month” contest. The society has been promoting this contest for the past 12 years in order to encourage the study of genealogy.
To understand a nation, one must first understand its history. The history is more than the laws and dates of major events. History lies in the daily lives of the people who make a nation. To ignore the lives of those who have gone before us is to negate their ideas, dreams and accomplishments. Each person’s life is a thread woven into the tapestry that is that nation.
Abraham is a 6th grade student at Hillel Yeshiva. He was awarded 2nd place for his essay on his family’s history. This is what he wrote:
A Hero Amongst Us
I have a large family which includes my mom Rose, my dad Isaac, my two brothers Mitchell and David, and my one and only sister Cookie. I am fortunate to have many loving grandparents, great grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins who all live close by. We all have great respect and love for one another. That’s what makes my family so special. There are many family members that I look up to, but one that stands out in my mind as a true hero—my Great Grandfather Sam M. Antar.
There are many stories of the wonderful accomplishments my great grandfather has made throughout his life. Here is one:.
In 1945, my great grandfather served in World War II and fought all over the world. He was an amphibious engineer for the American Army. My great grandfather was serving on the beachheads of Anzio, Italy. Suddenly there was an explosion at sea. Ships split in half and threw soldiers and equipment overboard. My great grandfather, along with many, swam out to save the survivors. He pulled a young man to land in order to revive him. Then he gave him a pair of dry boots and made him feel comfortable.
It had been a while since my great grandfather Sam had written or spoken to his parents, and they began to worry. His dad had set out to find out if anyone at the American base knew of my great grandfather’s whereabouts. He boarded a train full of soldiers and went on his way. A fellow passenger on the train had many campaign ribbons which caught his attention. It wasn’t long before they began a conversation about the war. The young soldier told him about his near death experience and how he owed his life to a brave young soldier. Mr. Antar, my Great Great Grandfather agreed with him and then went on to say, “I don’t suppose you came across my son, did you? He’s in Italy now.” And he pulled out a picture and handed it to the man.
The boy looked at it a moment; he could not believe his eyes. “This is your son,” he said. “I’ll say I know him! That’s the hero who saved my life. Mr. Antar, do you realize I am wearing your son’s boots!”
This is just one of the many heroic stories passed on to me from past generations. I hope to one day be able to follow in the same footsteps as my great grandfather and help others in need. Then the future generation will have someone they can look up to.
