Holocaust survivor-author Eddie Jaku dies in Sydney
Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku, who last year published his best-selling memoir, "The Happiest Man on Earth," has died in Sydney, a Jewish community leader said. He was 101. "Eddie Jaku was a beacon of light and hope for not only our community, but the world," New South Wales state Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive officer Darren Bark said in a statement. "
He will always be remembered for the joy that followed him, and his constant resilience in the face of adversity," Bark added. Jaku died on Tuesday. Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to Jaku's decision to "make his life a testimony of how hope and love can triumph over despair and hate." "He will be sadly missed, especially by our Jewish community. He was an inspiration and a joy," Morrison added.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, whose Jewish-Hungarian mother also survived the Holocaust and arrived in Australia in 1950 as a stateless child, said "Australia has lost a giant.""He dedicated his life to educating others about the dangers of intolerance and the importance of hope," Frydenberg said in a statement."Scarred by the past, he only looked forward. May his story be told for generations to come," Frydenberg added.
Jaku said in a speech in Sydney in 2019: "I do not hate anyone. Hate is a disease which may destroy your enemy, but will also destroy you.""Happiness does not fall from the sky. It's in your hands. I'm doing everything I can to make this world a better place for everyone," he said.Jaku was born Abraham "Adi" Jakubowiez in April 1920 in the German city of Leipzig. His parents and many of his wider family did not survive the war.
