Ms. Yelena Perlman, Chief of Staff of Culture in the Ministry of Culture and Sport, accompanied Zohar on his visit.
The Minister and his entourage were presented with a spectacular exhibition on the subject of “Kiddush Hashem (sanctification of G-d’s Name) and Jewish Leadership in the Holocaust,” as well as short samples from Ganzach Kiddush Hashem’s survivor testimony database.
During the screening of the testimonies, Mrs. Nadja Horwitz, a Holocaust survivor who was blessed to survive and build a wonderful home after everything she lost in the years of horror, was present in the semi-dark hall.
Mrs. Nadja Horwitz moved those present with her personal story that began in Pabianice, passed through Lodz, where she spent two years in the ghetto, and from there to Auschwitz, Hamburg, and Bergen-Belsen until she was liberated. She was 13 years old when the war broke out, and 18 years old when she was freed. In an emotional tone, Nadja told about the enormous efforts her soul took to survive, and even more so to rebuild her life. She was later joined by her daughter, Mrs. Chana Rotenberg, who told about how happy and healthy the home that Mrs. Nadja Horwitz built with her husband Rabbi Shalom David Horwitz in Antwerp, Belgium was.
How were you be able to? She was asked again and again, and the answer was: Faith! Only faith gave us strength.
Later, the Deputy Mayor of Bnei Brak, Rabbi Hanoch Seibert, delivered a moving testimony from his childhood in the shadow of his Holocaust survivor father. His words, which received a lot of attention, intensified the feeling of admiration for the generation of survivors who showed courage to an indesribable extent.
Excerpts from the testimonies of Holocaust survivors Yitzchak Cohen from Salonika and Bunim Wizhonski from Lodz, which were shown to those present, as well as the wonderful story of the rescuer and man of self-sacrifice, Rabbi Alter David Kurtzman – a heroic story published exclusively by Ganzach Kiddush Hashem – were very interesting and emotional for the viewers.
In the extended meeting held at Ganzach Kiddush Hashem, in which rare and exclusive exhibits tell the story of the Holocaust and rebirth from a religious perspective, Mrs. Rachel Yud, the Chief Operating Officer, described the character and work of the founder of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem, the unforgettable writer and researcher, Rabbi Moshe Prager, and the great development of the large archive in Israel. She also spoke about the education department that is a model of devotion to its purpose and unparalleled professional success, which is thanks to the dedication and sacrifice of the management and employees.
The Chief Executive Officer, Rabbi Zvi Skulski, gave an insider’s description of the excitement of the archive employees whenever a new collection is received by Ganzach Kiddush Hashem. He likens this to fish swimming in water and even though they are surrounded by endless water, they are happy and long for every new drop of water that falls on them from above. This is the thirst of the archive workers, swimming in the sea of materials and collections, for every new document – collection, diary, manuscript, testimony, and everything that can shed light on this dark period and on what strengthened its heroes with joy, faith and vitality.
The head archivist, Mrs. Tamar Schreiber, presented to those present a sample of the valuable and rare exhibits that are preserved and lovingly cared for in the archive and are presented to thousands of teenagers and visitors from Israel and the world: tefillin, mezuzahs, shofars, excerpts from a diary and underground press, siddurs (prayer books) and machzors (High Holiday prayer books) written in the darkness of the bunks, and more; Along with these are other items that survived the inferno, and behind every such artifact is a wonderful story of Jewish heroism and self-sacrifice.
The moving words of the distinguished guest, Minister Miki Zohar, were heard with great attention. From the bottom of his heart, he discussed the treasures of the Torah and the wisdom embodied in it. In his message he combined words of faith and hope that are reflected in the wonderful miracle that happened before our eyes – “from the Holocaust to rebirth”. He later expressed his admiration for the wealth of documents and exhibits that Ganzach Kiddush Hashem presents to Jews of all stripes, and offered practical ideas to speed up the construction of the new building and the reference and exhibition halls in the area of the new and developing commercial center in the north of the city of Bnei Brak, on the banks of the Yarkon.
Words in this spirit were also delivered by the deputy mayor, Rabbi Hanoch Seibert, who elaborated a little on the technical aspect of the construction plan for the large building and its purpose, and promised the municipality’s help in all phases of its founding and construction.
Out of a pleasant feeling of true friendship and partnership, the management of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem said farewell to the distinguished guest and his entourage, who promised to keep in touch and insisted that these wonderful programs will be successful, and that Ganzach Kiddush Hashem will not be forced to shelve such essential educational and documentary projects due to lack of resources.
