Nazi<\/a> concentration caps were liberated 74 years ago, so a twenty year old who made it through the atrocity is now 94. Elihu Kover of Nazi Victim Services for Self-help Community Service spoke of the conditions<\/a> many of these elderly<\/a> survivors face as they advance in age at a Senate hearing in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHolocaust survivors are growing older and frailer. \u2026 She may be coping with the loss of her spouse and have no family to speak of. In addition to the myriad problems associated with so-called \u2018normal aging,\u2019 many survivors have numerous physical and psychological problems directly attributable to their experiences during the Holocaust. \u2026 And many of these problems only surface in old age, having been hidden during their working years when the survivors struggled and made a new life for themselves as productive citizens of this country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This sympathetic view of the tragedy isn\u2019t as popular in the Arab world where Holocaust denial is rampant<\/a> and many cynically accuse the Jewish people of exploiting Western sympathy surrounding the tragedy<\/a> to establish the State of Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, in 2019 two Arab men in Haifa, Israel made a beautiful show of respect to a Holocaust survivor who found their gesture \u201cuplifting.\u201d And with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, it\u2019s a powerful reminder that good people are everywhere.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Arab citizens make up about 20% of the population of Israel. The recent escalation<\/a> of the Israel-Palestine conflict has put added strain on the relationship between Jewish and Arab citizens. Some politicians have painted Arabs as enemies of Israel, or as terrorists or security threats. In turn, it\u2019s easy to see why some Arab citizens would be distrustful and guarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But not these men, who chose to see the humanity in their customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Simon and Salim Matari, who are brothers, were recently called to the home of Rosa Meir, 95, to fix a leak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Also, how cool is it to see another pair of brother plumbers getting some headlines?!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen we got there, we saw there was a large blast of water and we started fixing it,\u201d Simon told the Times of Israel<\/a>. \u201cAt some stage, while working, my brother Salim started to talk to Rosa about her life. She told us she\u2019s 95, a Holocaust survivor, and that she has a daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHer life story touched my heart,\u201d Simon continued. \u201cAt that moment, I decided I won\u2019t take a cent from her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the brothers finished their work, they gave Meir a bill that read: \u201cHolocaust survivor, may you have health until 120, from Matari Simon and Matari Salim,\u201d adding that the cost of the service was \u201c0 shekels.\u201d The service would have normally cost about $285 US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"holocaust,](\"https:\/\/www.upworthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/origin-167.jpg?w=1200&quality=80\")
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