Rhodes, 2015
Why me?
Before, I used to live, I used to live with the idea, because, you know, when someone comes out of this hell, he keeps wondering “why, why, why, why?”. I had a “why” that I kept asking. “Why me?” and “why me?”, “why me?”. I couldn’t find the answer to that “why”. And now, thank God, it’s been ten years since I found the answer, because it’s a thing I’m doing, teaching kids this should never happen again, ever again. This is a mission for me, it’s a mission, and I wish… I’m on my way there, because I understand that kids provide me with a pleasant, that is un riconoscimento importante [important recognition in Italian]. That’s why I keep on. If kids weren’t giving me this recognition, I wouldn’t be doing this for older people… I’m doing this for the kids, and since kids continue giving me this recognition, I will keep doing it.
This is my mission. I will never stop doing it, as long as He gives me strength.
[…]
And now, like I told you before, I’m the happiest man alive. The happiest man alive because I found the answer.
He chose me, He chose me…
Citation: “Samy Modiano”, excerpts from his interview to Artemis Alcalay as part of the “Greek Jews Holocaust Survivors” project, Rhodes, 20 July 2015, https://greekjewsholocaustsurvivors.art/en/profile/samy-modiano/