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Wile the summer was coming to an end, so was the Jewish year. Rash Hashanah, the last the last day of the Jewish year caused great tension in the camp. They all assembled to praise the Lord almighty, but Eli could find no point in praising the Lord, because he held him responsible for what he had let happen to the innocent people. Also on Yom Kippur, Eli did not fast considering it was a great risk anyways. Several days passed, Eli and his father learned about a selection that was soon to take place. They prepared for the worst. During the selection Eli noticed the medical examiner were laking down numbers, he was relieved to find out that his number had not been written down.
The bell rang signaling that the selection was over. Eli ran back to block 36 and caught his father half way there, it was good news to hear his father had passed too. Just a couple of days later, an SS officer came to assemble the ranks for roll call, he read off ten or so numbers that had been taken down during the first selection. They were ordered to stay in camp during the work hours. Eli's father came running to him, his number had been taken down without his noticing. He gave Eli his inheritance and told him there would be a second selection. When Eli returned to camp he learned his father had passed the second selection, Eli gave his father back his knife and spoon.
The winter had begun to get very cold, in January Eli's foot began to swell from the bitter cold, he was sent to the Infirmary. The Doctor told him he would have to operate immediately or he could loose his leg. The operation proved successful, but soon after rumors began to spread of the Red Army advancing on the camp. The rumors became more real when they were able to see the blast from the cannons in the distance. They were ordered to evacuate the camp, Eli and his father were given a choice to both stay in the Infirmary, or evacuate with the rest of the camp. They decided to evacuate, soon after the war had ended Eli discovered that those who stayed in the Infirmary were liberated by the Russians two days later. Before leaving they were ordered to clean the blocks, Eli wrapped his foot and proceeded on with the march.