by Robert Elmer
“As long as Peter isn’t going to make a speech,” began Matthias, “I do have something to say.”
“Don’t stand up, Matthias.” Uncle Morten put out his hand. “You take it easy.”
Matthias nodded. “Now Elise and I both have to rest. I guess I don’t have to stand up to apologize....”
“Oh, now, wait a minute,” objected Mr. Andersen, but Matthias cut him off.
“Now, Arne, you’ve had your turn. Let me just apologize first of all to the kids for bringing all these dangers into your lives. Especially Abu Ladin, even though the police have him now. And the accidents... this was all my fault.”
“We’re fine,” answered Peter. “I’m just sorry about your plane. How are you going to get to the ship now?”
“We can fix the plane, although I’m probably not going to be flying in it anymore. And there will be other ships. But to Ruth, I... er...”
Matthias looked at the ground, as if searching for words to say.
“I want to publicly apologize to Ruth,” he finally continued. “And to Henrik, too. I asked too much. I demanded a decision too soon, and I’m sorry. And after some serious thought, I—that is, we—have decided to delay our plans. There’s no need to rush into things.”
Everyone stared at Henrik’s mother, stunned at the announcement, and she nodded.
“You’ve all been so kind,” she said, looking around the table. “And you’ve been like a family to me. So I’ve come to realize in the last few days that I just can’t leave you. This is my... this is our home.”
“I am continuing on to Palestine in a few months,” added Matthias. “When the doctor allows it. Perhaps someday...”
His voice trailed off, and Henrik looked up brightly at his mother. “You mean it, Mother? We aren’t going after all?”
Mrs. Melchior nodded seriously, but there was a twinkle in her eye that gave Henrik permission to jump out of his seat with a whoop.
“Did you hear that, Peter?”
Peter jumped up, too, and they pounded each other on the backs in wild congratulations.
“I knew it,” Henrik repeated, grinning from ear to ear.
“No you didn’t,” Peter corrected him. “You thought you were going for sure.”
“Well, maybe for a couple of days.” Then he turned to his mother. “Good thing we didn’t sell our furniture, huh, Mother? Aren’t people going to be surprised when they see us back home again on Star Street?”
He whooped again for joy, but Henrik stopped when he saw the look on Matthias’s face. Henrik walked over, paused, and gave him a big bear hug.
“Maybe in a few years,” Matthias told Henrik, slapping him on the back.
“Maybe, Matthias,” Henrik managed to choke out.
Peter looked around, and he couldn’t see anyone else with dry eyes, either.
“And there’s one more thing I must say.” Matthias took a step back, still clutching Henrik’s shoulders. “And that is thank you to all of you. Elise, especially, after all you’ve been through, then you helped to save my life up there in that plane with the crazy man.”
Elise looked embarrassed but smiled. “We all helped. Henrik and Peter, they did most of the work.”
Matthias nodded. “Yes, I suppose you all did help. And now there is a ship full of people out there that has a better chance of making it to the Promised Land, Eretz Israel, because of what you’ve done.”
“Aw,” said Henrik, “it was Hector who really caught that Abu guy.”
“You kids are all too modest,” insisted Matthias.
Little Johanna began to giggle when Hector licked the gravy off her plate, and the others joined in the laugh.
“A toast to Hector!” chimed in Elise, holding up her soda. “And to Eretz Israel!”
“And an extra piece of meat!” Uncle Morten added.
“Shalom!” cried Henrik.
Everyone stood up and cheered while Hector barked in agreement. Peter grinned and put his arm around his friend’s shoulder.
“Shalom, Henrik.”
Epilogue: The Long Way Home
Just like today, the eyes of the world were on the Middle East in the years following World War II. Everyone was worried about what would happen there. After almost two thousand years, this was finally the time when the Jewish people began returning to their own land. In 1948, Israel became a country once again, with Jerusalem as its capital. It would be a homeland for the Jewish people, who had suffered so much.
But Israel wasn’t born without a struggle. Great Britain, who was in charge of much of the territory that would become Israel, had a hard time acting as referee between the Arabs and Jews. Before withdrawing, the English really only succeeded in making everyone angry at them.
At the same time, the Jewish people wasted no time in finding a way home. Even before they were officially given permission, Jews from all over Europe headed for what was then called Palestine. Matthias’s comment that “The world is divided into two areas, countries where Jews cannot live, and countries where Jews cannot enter” was a real one, spoken by an important leader of the day. There really were ships filled with Jewish refugees, too, some of which never reached their destination. Jews came from all over Europe, from places where they had been persecuted for years. They were looking for the Promised Land.
Many found it, though it has never been a peaceful place. Others, like Henrik, did find real peace. Not by coming to a land, but by returning to the God of their fathers through Yeshua—Jesus. Even today, more and more Jewish people are finding peace in the Messiah of Israel. The Messiah of the world.
What’s next?
After reading “The Young Underground,” many readers want to know: What happens next? You’ll find many more exciting adventures in Robert Elmer’s “Promise of Zion” series, which takes up where this story leaves off.
And for grown-up readers, Robert has written a full-length novel called Wildflowers of Terezin, also set in World War 2 Denmark.
