COMMUNITY FOCUS
One random act Zoog mir in Yiddish By Sol Awend, GenShoah SWFL
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rowing up, I would liberated! What Oskar spend hours listening Shindler took years to to my second father, accomplish, Josef comJosef Kupferminz, telling me pleted in one random act. what it was like living through This story was verified the Holocaust. I would ask by a most respected survivor questions in Yiddish, and he’d who was on that transport further explain his experience. with Josef — Leo Wolf. Leo Listening to his dialogue in was a friend of Josef and a Yiddish was spellbinding. founding sponsor of the St. As World War II was drawLouis Holocaust Museum Sol Awend ing to a bitter and final concluas well as a noted member sion, Josef was caught up in a series of of the Holocaust Museum in Washingtragic events. He, his wife and young son ton. Leo went on to tell of his experience were among the first residents of the Lodz on the train in his testimony at the St. Ghetto and would be among the last to Louis Holocaust Museum. leave. Living by his wits, Josef was able to Generations have been born since keep his family alive until August 1944 that day, and countless lives have enjoyed when the Ghetto was being dissolved the fruits of freedom and blessing, all and the deportations began. Destination because of one random act. —Auschwitz. As he stood in line with his wife and child, he was white hot with fear. Words and phrases The time came to part and in the blink spoken during our of an eye and a hug, they were separated. conversations: While in Auschwitz, he worked at 1. Deh VISH ed LENyehs ( The various jobs and dealt with the misery deportations) of constant starvation and brutality. In Deh Vish ed lenyehs ot oogeh hoyben late March 1945 and nearing the loss of in deh free. (The deportations started in his senses and grappling with a desire to the morning.) live, Josef was herded onto a train bound 2. OFF geh layest (To be dissolved, for Dachau. But he stayed there for just dismembered.) a short time. Mot off geh layst Deh Ghetto in zimmeh Germany was losing the war. In their feer un fert’zig. (The ghetto was dissolved attempt to hide their crimes, they were in the summer of ’44.) shipping prisoners west on death marches 3. Deh Kreeg (The war) and train rides to more distant places. Deutschlaand ot fah loyren Deh Kreeg. Josef was ordered onto a train out of (Germany lost the war.) Dachau. Imagine his surprise when he 4. Deh TOYT (Death) boarded a passenger train, not a cattle car, Mot geh seideh geh kik’t deh Toyt in dee and given a Red Cross packet! oygen. (One constantly looked death in Hundreds of people were on this the face.) transport, destined for the mountains 5. Dee BER-geh (Mountains) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Swiss Dee bergeh zenen geh vayzen oogeh fallen Alps. Everyone was anxious to get movmit shnei. (The mountains were covered ing, especially the German guards. Josef with snow.) was a short fellow and wedged himself 6. Dee ROY-teh Kreut’z Paaketen (The in a seat near a window. He didn’t want Red Cross packets) to part with his Red Cross packet, so he Zy ob’n ins geh gayben Royteh Kruet’z wedged it in the latch of the emergency Paaketen. (They gave us the Red Cross break switch — unaware that this action packets.) would have a profound impact on every7. AHN geh HAALten (Held up, one on that train. a standstill) When it came time to leave, the train Dee baan ot zec’h ahn geh haalten. could not move. It did not move for some (The train was held up.) two days, until one of the passengers saw 8. Deh HA mooh LETZ (The hand Josef remove the packet. The passenger brake) told the guard. The guard dragged Josef T’zeh leep deh ha moo let zot deh baan off the train and beat him to within an nisht geh ken’t gein. (Because of the hand inch of his life. After he regained his brake, the train couldn’t move.) senses, he got back on that train. 9. SHEEsen (Shooting) Traveling nonstop, they made it into Mott geh hayet sheesen in dee vaah ten. the mountains. When Josef and the other (You could hear shooting in the distance.) riders got off the train, they were met 10. KAH t’zet nik(s) (Concentration with cold weather and scattered shooting Camp inmate(s), prisoner(s).) in the distance. Everyone stood there, Nebec’h ah saac’h dee Kah t’zetniks zenen and realized they were to be shot. But ihm geh kimmen. (Unfortunately, a lot of the guards were not to be seen, and no the inmates were overcome.) one died from being shot. They were
Federation Star
January 2024
27
2024
(January-March)
ELLIOTT KATZ LECTURE SERIES Co-sponsored by
OF GREATER NAPLES
PRESENTATION SCHEDULE Jan. 12 – The United Nations Blinks, Again
From April 1992 until November 1996 Bosnian Serb soldiers and Serbian Army units conducted a campaign of genocide against Bosnian Muslims. Learn how NATO was useless when handcuffed by the U.N.
Jan. 26 – Very Rich, Very Beautiful, Very Bad
While living in France during WWII, Florence La Caze Gould, wife to the son of one of America’s richest men, befriended and bedded some of the worst Nazi murderers in the country. Investigated by J. Edgar Hoover and F.B.I. for treason after the war, what was her excuse?
Feb. 9 – These Were Not Nice Jewish Boys
During the 1930s, there was an almost unfathomable rise of antisemitism. One man enlisted a group of Jews to stop Jew baiting and harassment. They were known nationwide as Murder, Inc. What did they do?
Feb. 23 – They Said It Couldn’t Happen Here, It Did
19th century America was in turmoil. Mormon immigrants were the subject of an expulsion and extermination order. Later, a Union General, who later became the President of the United States, ordered Jews living in the South to be deported. How could this happen and who did this?
March 8 — The Black Experience Under the Swastika, You Will Be Surprised
Adolf Hitler and National Socialism had only hatred and scorn for black skinned people. Ironically, one black “American Prisoner of War” became a hero to a generation of white concentration camp and labor camp inmates. Hear about Johnny Nicholas and his courage.
March 22 – The New York Times, It Never Learns
The New York Times reporting on the rise of Fidel Castro, violence in the middle east and Israel’s need to defend itself reaffirms the view that the Sulzberger Dynast, continues to let ideology, politics and prejudices dictate “all the news fit to print.”
March 29 - Saluting America and the American Soldier
81 years ago, the United States Marines captured Iwo Jima, steppingstone to Japan. 6,000 Marines died and 18,500 were injured. Today we tell the story and honor every man and woman serving to protect America.
DETAILS AND TICKETS WHERE: Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center 4720 Pine Ridge Rd. WHEN: 10-11:30 a.m. with Q&A to follow. COST: Series tickets: $150 pp; 4 ticket: $100; Individual tickets $35 pp PURCHASE SERIES OR INDIVIDUAL TICKETS AT WWW.JEWISHNAPLES.ORG.
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