Menachem Begin was born in Brest-Litovsk (Brisk) Lithuania, on the thirteenth of Av 5673 (16 August 1913) to parents Wolf-Dov and Hassia (Kosovski) Begin, big brother Herzl and Rachel. His name, Menachem (Comforting), was given to him because he was born on Shabbat “Nachamu”. His father made his living as secretary of the Jewish community and was one of the first Zionists in his town. Their home hosted many discussions surrounding the fate of the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. With the outbreak of World War I, when Menachem Begin was a one year old toddler, the family had to abandon their home and wander in villages in eastern Poland. After the war, the family returned to Brisk, where Menachem began his studies. Begin showed his rhetorical skills from an early age, and he made his first public speech when he was only ten years old: at a Lag B’Omer celebration on behalf of the Zionist community, he addressed the cities children about the importance of the time and its relation to national revival. He was not afraid to fight for Jewish identity and refused to write exams on Saturday’s, even when punished.