Art exhibition and talk Henny receives war medals on 100th birthday

Holocaust survivor Henny Franks received a special surprise on her 100th birthday last week.

AJEX National Chair, Dan Fox, marked the landmark occasion by presenting Henny with a Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45 together with HM Armed Forces Veteran Badge.

Henny had not received any medals following her time with The Auxiliary Territorial Service. She arrived in Britain on the Kindertransport when she escaped Nazi persecution from Cologne.

The ATS was the women’s branch of the British Army.

Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue held an art exhibition and talk last Sunday. Artists, makers and designers participated in the event as part of an arts trail in the area.

With scheduled speaker Monica BohmDuchen taken ill, 50 guests enjoyed a Zoom talk from David Glasser, executive Chair of Ben Uri Gallery & Museum.

Following the announcement by the Jewish Museum’s imminent closure, David gave a whistle-stop tour of Ben Uri’s history dating back 108 years.

The audience offered suggestions for challenges faced by the museum. Everyone had a new understanding of the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage.

After refreshments from Grodzinski’s in Stamford Hill, visitors were treated to a Meet and Greet with Artists including Michael Golding, Odette Gaba, Dovid Shaw.

Other artists included Sammy Ebrahimoff, Yadida Gaba, Andrew Lewis, Gary Rose, Carlotta Rosmarin, Bernard Stern, Jessica Voorsanger and Ruth Schryber who curated the show.

Leytonstone Arts Trail https://leytonstoneartstrail.org/2023-arts-trail

Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue www.lawsynagogue.org/arts-trail

Henny regularly attends the Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre, who organised her party. Based at Chilwell, Henny was taught to drive trucks at the Central Ordnance Depot. AJEX became aware she had not received any medals in an interview for the AJEX Medals Campaign.

Fox said: “It was an honour to surprise Henny. As the ‘greatest generation’ become fewer, lasting recognition of their service and commitment is more important than ever.

“The restoration and reclamation of medals is a striking way of ensuring this. They are artefacts or personal history, but also meaningful to families, communities and the nation as a whole. They help us remember what veterans went through and take pride in what they did”.

Daniel Carmel-Brown, Jewish Care CEO,

said: “Henny is a much-loved member of the centre and tells us that she considers it to be her second home. It is an amazing gift and source of pride for Henny to receive her war medals through AJEX.”

The AJEX Medals Campaign identifies which medals belong to an individual or family member.

As World War II and National Service veterans decline families and direct descendants continue to be active in AJEX. AJEX hopes more first-time parade goers will attend the annual remembrance ceremony on 19th November.

Details on replica medals: www.ajex.org.uk/ medals