Following the German occupation, his family learned that the Nazis were coming to his town to murder the Jews.  They dug a hiding-place under the house of Chaim’s uncle.  The entrance to the hiding-place was through the bottom of a closet.  When the Nazis entered the house, they beat the butts of their guns against the walls and floors of the rooms, and as a result, the door and bottom of the closet opened.  At that moment, Chaim’s grandmother coughed and they were all convinced that their fate was sealed, but the Nazis did not notice and left the house.  When they left their hiding-place, the family found the entire Jewish quarter burnt to the ground and saw corpses in the streets. 

Afterwards they decided to escape to Romania.  The Romanian border was close by, but a river had to be crossed to reach it.  When they came to cross, dressed as gentiles, the waters were raging and in flood.  However, this time too, Chaim and his family were saved. 

In Romania, Chaim’s parents did not receive the necessary certificates for immigration to Israel.  Chaim immigrated to Israel disguised as the son of a childless couple who received a certificate.  At the port, they boarded the wrong ship, and the ship they were supposed to board was sunk by German warships.

Rabbi Chaim Drukman was a Member of Knesset, and the Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs.  He currently serves as Head of the Or Tzion Yeshiva, Chairman of the Bnei Akiva Yeshiva Center and Head of the Conversion Administration in the Prime Minister’s Office.