The Siemens Munitions Factory near Berlin makes much of the ammunition for the German army. You are assigned the dangerous work of rolling huge barrels of gunpowder from one building to another. One wrong move, and you could be blown up in an instant. Every so often, there are explosions, where workers are killed or injured; but you are very careful and avoid accidents.
You notice that some of the laborers are Jews, brought from nearby concentration camps. They are always given the worst jobs, treated miserably, and fed practically nothing. It pains you to watch them waste away before your eyes, and you invent little ways to ease their lot. If you are caught, you'll be executed, but you could not live with yourself if you did not do something, pass them a piece of bread, help lift a heavy load, something.
When the war ends, you present yourself to the American army's Judge Advocate General's office and testify about the worst of the Nazi supervisors in the factory. On the basis of your testimony, a number of them are arrested, tried for war crimes, and sent to prison. It makes you feel better that some justice has been served.
Several years later, you get to America where you decide to become a
lawyer. Bringing justice to the world — as the Bible says:
Justice, justice shall you pursue
— is an old Jewish idea.
You want to be part of that idea. You commit your life to the pursuit of
justice and fairness.
END