[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 10595] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING HARRY HAFT'S PLACE IN THE NATIONAL JEWISH SPORTS HALL OF FAME ______ HON. STEVE ISRAEL of new york in the house of representatives Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Mr. ISRAEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Harry Haft, a Holocaust survivor and inductee into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Born Hertzka Haft on July 28, 1925 in Poland, Harry Haft was only 16 when he was sent to the infamous concentration camp, Auschwitz. Here, the brave teenager was forced to fight other prisoners for the amusement of German SS guards. These perverse, bare-knuckled bouts were held while Mr. Haft routinely faced starvation, torture, and a culture of death. However, Mr. Haft's determination and instincts kept him alive long enough to escape from the camp. After World War II ended, Mr. Haft married Miriam and traveled to America determined to find freedom, Here, he became a professional boxer, one who would battle elements of corruption and organized crime as he worked to establish himself as a professional athlete. His winning career would culminate in a bout against the future undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, Rocky Marciano. After his retirement from the ring, Mr. Haft had three children, Alan, Marty, and Helene, and today is a proud grandfather of six: Hartley, Jamie, Stephanie, Ethan, Melodie, and Jonathan, This Sunday, April 29, 2007, Mr. Haft will take his place as a deserving member of the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in Commack, New York. His story is one of perseverance and survival--of a man who escaped from unimaginable horror to find a new life and success at the top of his profession. I am proud to honor him today. ____________________