During World War II, Rabbi Eliezer Silver ZT”L (1882-1968) traveled across Europe to rescue Jewish refugees and orphans. He was President of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada and was instrumental in saving thousands of lives through the Vaad Hatzalah (Rescue Committee).
One of the most striking stories about Rabbi Silver concerns his integrity with charitable funds. After the war, he raised substantial amounts of money for orphans and refugees. One day, a visitor found him sitting in his small, modest apartment with two separate phones for two separate phone lines.
Curious, the visitor asked why he needed two phones. Rabbi Silver explained that one line was for his personal calls, while the other was strictly for his charitable work. He refused to use even a single penny of the charity's funds for his personal needs—not even sharing a phone line.
This meticulous care with other people's money—especially charitable funds—exemplified Rabbi Silver's extraordinary level of integrity. Even in something seemingly minor like a shared phone line, he understood that true honesty means being precise in the separation between personal resources and those entrusted to him for the benefit of others.
Rabbi Silver's dedication to rescue work and his unwavering ethical standards made him one of the most respected rabbinic authorities in America during the mid-20th century. His story continues to inspire people to maintain absolute integrity, particularly when handling resources meant for those in need.
