Everyone was asleep early one morning; Ewa unlocked the side door for Urjasz as he arrived with the food, then sank into a chair beside her husband. Holding his bony hand, she urged him to be conclusive, “Symeon, we cannot sit still and just perish at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators among us.”

“My primary concerns revolve around the safety of our children,” he answered slowly, gazing at his toes that were peeping out of his quilt.

“I agree with you that it’s unlikely we will survive this captivity. The Germans are going to kill every ghetto inhabitant. Therefore, you must take the kids someplace safe,” he continued.

Ewa softly squeezed her husband’s hand as though trying to console him while he expressed his heartbreaking thoughts.

"On the Aryan side, a group of Polish ladies provides shelter to Jewish children. Our partisans smuggle the children into the Aryan side, where they are delivered to the Polish team. The local leader of our partisans has contacted me lately, and I plan to organise your escape with the kids.”

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Symeon caressed her hand and continued, “When practising law, I rescued a wealthy Polish businessman from the gallows. He left for Italy, where he amassed additional wealth and became part of the powerful social scene.”

“He educated his son, Matteo Rossi, in Italy, who married an Italian. The young fellow has come to Warsaw to acquire priceless Eastern European works of art plundered by the Nazis.”

Symeon rubbed his chin and turned his head to face Ewa. “He resides in a house in the German quarters and has reached out to me on behalf of his father if I required his assistance. From what I have heard from our partisans who delivered me his message, he is a smart, resourceful young man.”

“Your flawless Polish and confident demeanour will help you go around the Aryan side, unnoticed, where you will stay for a couple of weeks with the children at a safe place until Matteo Rossi manages to prepare the necessary papers to get you out of the country,” he added.

“Symeon, there are Polish squads all too eager to hunt Jews for booty, and the Nazis kill those who shelter them. It is becoming increasingly difficult to trust fellow Jews in the ghetto, let alone a Pole on the Aryan side or a wealthy foreigner who deals with the Nazis. I am not going anywhere without you.” Ewa replied firmly.