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I Shall Not Die!: A Personal Memoir
He came penniless to the United States after surviving the Holocaust Hart Hasten rose to the top levels of finance and industry. He became an integral part of his community at large, not only giving of his wealth but also his time and knowledge. He supported the Indiana University, United Jewish Communities, and many more, and founded The Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis. He has been living in Indianapolis, Indiana since 1964, and visits Israel several times per year. Two of his three children, and their families, live in Israel. The book I Shall Not Die! is the personal memoir of Holocaust survivor, Hart N. Hasten. Looking back from the perspective of age seventy, the author presents an amazing account of escape and rescue from Nazi occupied Poland and his formative years in the DP camps of Europe. The saga continues as Hasten arrives in America and achieves extraordinary success in business and attains a position of international leadership in Jewish affairs. The book's central core is an intimate account of Hasten's twenty-five year friendship with revered Israeli political leader and Prime Minister, Menachem Begin. Hasten serves up a fascinating series of personal portraits, anecdotes and insights culled from his close relationships with Israeli and Jewish luminaries including Ariel Sharon, Elie Wiesel and Benjamin Netanyahu. Through it all, Hasten articulates the driving force and commitment to Jewish strength and independence that have defined him as a world recognized leader, as a serious and observant Jew and as a man.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2002
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January 10, 2026
This is the autobiography—or perhaps more accurately, the hagiography—of Hart N. Hasten: Holocaust survivor, American immigrant, businessman, fundraiser and philanthropist, confidant to Israeli prime ministers, and tennis champion.
There is no question that Hasten has led a remarkable life marked by extraordinary achievements. As a child, his family fled Poland for Kazakhstan to escape the encroaching Final Solution. After the war, he spent formative years in a displaced persons camp, where he came under the influence of Joseph Trumpeldor and the Betar movement. In 1951, at the age of twenty, Hasten immigrated to Minneapolis with little education and scant knowledge of English. Over the next fourteen years, he worked first as an engraver and later as a plant manager in Indianapolis.
He then partnered with his brother Mark to enter the nursing home business, providing quality care in an industry notorious for abuse. After expanding to several facilities, the brothers diversified into banking, real estate, and cable television.
At the same time, Hasten became deeply involved in Jewish and pro-Israel fundraising. Over the objections of the local Jewish Federation, he spearheaded the founding of the Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis. Leveraging an extensive network of wealthy donors, he promoted the purchase of Israel Bonds and supported a range of Israel-focused causes.
These efforts brought Hasten into contact with his “idol,” Menachem Begin. He and his wife, Simona, became lifelong intimates of Begin and his family. Hasten also advised other right-of-center Israeli prime ministers, including Ariel Sharon. If this biography is to be believed, he even succeeded in resolving Israel’s public relations crisis—a challenge that, one might note, persists to this day. Hasten expresses open disdain for Israeli leaders on the left, including Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, whose allegedly naïve idealism he blames for the failed Oslo Accords.
Among the book’s more astonishing claims is Hasten’s account of quitting smoking—abruptly and permanently—after consuming as many as eighty cigarettes a day. He then took up tennis and progressed so rapidly that he went on to win championships at the Maccabiah Games.
These accomplishments are undeniably impressive. Yet over time, the reader may grow weary of the relentless self-congratulation. While this is, of course, Hasten’s personal narrative, the absence of self-doubt or critical reflection ultimately weakens the portrait. Paradoxically, a touch less certainty—and a bit more humility—might have made the story both more credible and more compelling.
There is no question that Hasten has led a remarkable life marked by extraordinary achievements. As a child, his family fled Poland for Kazakhstan to escape the encroaching Final Solution. After the war, he spent formative years in a displaced persons camp, where he came under the influence of Joseph Trumpeldor and the Betar movement. In 1951, at the age of twenty, Hasten immigrated to Minneapolis with little education and scant knowledge of English. Over the next fourteen years, he worked first as an engraver and later as a plant manager in Indianapolis.
He then partnered with his brother Mark to enter the nursing home business, providing quality care in an industry notorious for abuse. After expanding to several facilities, the brothers diversified into banking, real estate, and cable television.
At the same time, Hasten became deeply involved in Jewish and pro-Israel fundraising. Over the objections of the local Jewish Federation, he spearheaded the founding of the Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis. Leveraging an extensive network of wealthy donors, he promoted the purchase of Israel Bonds and supported a range of Israel-focused causes.
These efforts brought Hasten into contact with his “idol,” Menachem Begin. He and his wife, Simona, became lifelong intimates of Begin and his family. Hasten also advised other right-of-center Israeli prime ministers, including Ariel Sharon. If this biography is to be believed, he even succeeded in resolving Israel’s public relations crisis—a challenge that, one might note, persists to this day. Hasten expresses open disdain for Israeli leaders on the left, including Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, whose allegedly naïve idealism he blames for the failed Oslo Accords.
Among the book’s more astonishing claims is Hasten’s account of quitting smoking—abruptly and permanently—after consuming as many as eighty cigarettes a day. He then took up tennis and progressed so rapidly that he went on to win championships at the Maccabiah Games.
These accomplishments are undeniably impressive. Yet over time, the reader may grow weary of the relentless self-congratulation. While this is, of course, Hasten’s personal narrative, the absence of self-doubt or critical reflection ultimately weakens the portrait. Paradoxically, a touch less certainty—and a bit more humility—might have made the story both more credible and more compelling.
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