Out of the Depths

A moving account of survival and faith from Israel Meir Lau, a Holocaust survivor and former Chief Rabbi of Israel, with forewords by former President of Israel Shimon Peres and the bestselling author of Night, Elie Wiesel—both Nobel Peace Prize laureates.   One of the youngest survivors of Buchenwald, Israel Meir Lau was just eight years old when the camp was liberated in 1945. Descended from a 1,000-year unbroken chain of rabbis, he grew up to become Chief Rabbi of Israel--and like many of the great rabbis, Lau is a master storyteller. Out of the Depths is his harrowing, miraculous, and inspiring account of life in one of the Nazis’ deadliest concentration camps and how he managed to survive against all possible odds. Lau, who lost most of his family in the Holocaust, also chronicles his life after the war, including his emigration to Mandate Palestine during a period that coincides with the development of the State of Israel. The story continues through the present day, with that once-lost boy of eight now a brilliant, charismatic, and world-revered figure who has visited with three popes, the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and countless global leaders, including Queen Elizabeth, Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and Tony Blair.  Lau’s insightful reflections on his experiences during the Holocaust and World War II make Out of the Depths a compelling tribute to the strength and resilience of the human spirit. Originally published in Hebrew under the title Do Not Raise a Hand Against the Boy, this is a deeply inspiring and powerful memoir for readers of Holocaust books such as The Daughter of Auschwitz and Man’s Search for Meaning.  

“The maws of the Nazi machine fed on children. That Lulek escaped is remarkable in itself. But that, instead of stunting him, his tragic experiences spurred him on to become a sage and a leader is a tribute not only to his own qualities but to the exceptional people with whom his life was bound up. This book is many things: survivor story, autobiography, wisdom literature and an unabashed love letter to Israel, the home to which its subtitle alludes.”—Montreal Gazette“The Chief Rabbi of Israel recounts a harrowing journey from child prisoner in Buchenwald to champion of Holocaust survivors. . . . [An] uplifting story of peace, reconciliation and an incredible life’s journey.”—Kirkus“In 3,000 years of Jewish literature in all its scope and variety, we have had very few rabbinic autobiographies. . . . Why then, did some rabbis write their own biographies? Perhaps because their lives were tumultuous and adventurous . . . but primarily because they felt that others might learn some important lessons from their lives. . . . Out of the Depths contains both these elements: an eventful and rich life and a unique perspective on its purpose and meaning.”—Jewish Home  “Thanks to his mother’s quick thinking (she sized up the situation as soon as she saw the Nazis sort the cattle cars by men, and women and children to different cars) she grabbed her seven-year-old son’s back with both hands and shoved him in the direction of the men. . . . The story of how Napthali [Lau’s brother] fought to stay near his little brother until the end of the war, and how the brothers finally reached Israel after Buchenwald was liberated in 1945, is a rich, beautifully told story.”—Jewish Book Council“[Rabbi Lau’s] tale of triumph and faith as a young boy during the Holocaust provides us with a model of personal greatness in the face of unimaginable hardship. . . . Out of the Depths tells the story of his miraculous journey from an orphaned refugee to become one of the leaders of the Jewish people.”—Aish.com “In this riveting and emotionally charged memoir, the former Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel relates the turbulent yet hopeful story of his life with unfailing honesty. . . . Rabbi Lau chronicles his life journey with ample detail to form vivid pictures and convey deep emotions. . . . The Holocaust comes alive with all its horrors, but so do the sparks of hope that emanate from his story.”—Orthodox Union

Rabbi Israel Meir Lau is one of the world’s most revered and charismatic Jewish leaders. Lau was born in 1937 in Poland, the son of his town’s last chief rabbi. He served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1993 to 2003. Currently, he is Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council; Yad Vashem is Israel’s official memorial organization for the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. In 2005, Lau was awarded the Israel Prize (the country’s highest honor) for his lifetime achievements and special contributions to society and the State of Israel. Shimon Peres was president of the State of Israel. Mr. Peres served twice as the prime minister of Israel and received the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize. He wrote numerous books and hundreds of articles and essays.   Elie Wiesel was 15 when he was deported to Auschwitz, and later to Buchenwald. After the war he became a journalist and writer in Paris, and the author of more than 50 books, including the bestselling Night. He received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the French Legion of Honor, an honorary knighthood of the British Empire, and, in 1986, the Nobel Peace Prize. He was also the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities and a professor of philosophy and religion at Boston University.