Remembering Moshe Barazani and Meir Feinstein
There is life worse than death, and there is death greater than life.
Moshe Barazani, a member of the Lehi (Stern Group) caught holding a grenade, and Meir Feinstein, a member of the Etzel (Irgun) caught and injured during an operation, were both sentenced to death by the British and shared the same cell awaiting their fate.
During their hearings, the two refused to recognize the British courts. Barazani read his Bible during the whole trial, and upon hearing his verdict, calmly stated: “You will not frighten us with your hangings," and then sang Hatikva. Feinstein remained silent until after his trial, when he gave a powerful speech concluding with: "There is life worse than death, and there is death greater than life."
The two smuggled a grenade into their cell and planned on detonating it while at the gallows, but the insistence of the prison rabbi to accompany them to the gallows forced them to change their plans.
On April 21, 1947, Moshe, a 20-year-old Kurdish Jew, and Meir, a 19-year-old Ashkenazi Jew, embraced each other and detonated the grenade, killing themselves. They would not give the British the satisfaction of watching them hang.
Menachem Begin was so moved by the actions of these two young men that he requested to be buried next to them on the Mount of Olives, which he was.
May their memories be a blessing.
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