Readers Letters 216

The unsung heroes – A call to families that took in Kinder during the Second World War

"I thanked Sir Nicholas for bringing our new sister into our lives." Thus said Ann Chadwick who at the age of two gained a new older sister - for life. This new sibling was a Jewish refugee child called Suzie and she came into Ann's Cambridge family having fled the Nazis in 1939. Suzie was one of hundreds rescued by Sir Nicholas Winton from Prague on a series of trains known as the 'Kindertransport'. Thousands more came from Germany, Austria and Poland. A rescue mission to find a safe haven in Britain.

After more than 85 years the hunt is on to find other foster siblings like Ann. Cambridge-based Mike Levy, researcher and author of Get the Children Out – Unsung Heroes of the Kindertransport. says: "Time is running out to find British foster brothers and sisters whose parents opened their doors, as strangers, to welcome these persecuted children who were not allowed to bring their parents with them. So far we have found 22 British families each with a remarkable story to tell. But there must be many more to record and archive."

Most of the Kinder stayed throughout the war in Britain and built their lives in the country. Many went to non-Jewish homes. John Rayner was fostered by a vicar and his family in south London but later became a leading British rabbi. Some stayed for months, most for years and were fully accepted into their adoptive families in all parts of the UK.

Up until now no one has recorded the memories of these British rescuers.

Can readers help to find surviving eye-witnesses from those troubled times - foster siblings of Jewish Kindertransport children (the foster parents themselves are not likely to be alive in 2023)?

Mike is helping to create a new and lasting video archive of testimonies from foster siblings. Is there another Ann Chadwick out there?

If your family took in a Kindertransport child please contact Mike Levy on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Janine Wiener Kohan

Cambridge, U.K.

Would you like to swap puzzles?

Some months ago I went to the ESRA Raanana Bookshop to see if they would like to take a donation of my 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles; I don't frame mine. I thought they could be sold there, but they had no room for the puzzles. I've got quite a few just gathering dust. After reading Stephen Schulman's article on his jigsaw puzzle hobby (ESRA Magazine #215, January 2023), the idea came to me that perhaps there might be other puzzle enthusiasts who would like to swap puzzles. I would also be prepared to give mine away if someone is interested.

Marcy Shain Messa

email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Information on Lt-Col Eliezer Lazar Margolin

I am seeking information on Lt-Col Eliezer or Eliazar Lazar Margolin whose remains were interred at Rehovot Cemetery in 1950. I am a journalist and am hoping to write a story about Col Margolin who resided in Australia for more than 30 years.
If any reader has information on Eliezer Lazar Margolin who served in the Jewish Legion in World War I and then the First Judeans until 1921, I would be most appreciative of your help for my research about Col Margolin.

Please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

David Bailey

The meaning of the word "MORBID"

Sitting in a doctor's office in Tel Aviv who was reviewing my medical history, he remarked on the word "Morbid" which was written on my file. I told him I had no idea, even though I was outspoken about my health problems. I certainly was not a "morbid" person, and in fact my house doctor said that often people don't recognize my degree of pain because of my good humor.

When I returned home my family doctor explained to me that the word "morbid" in medical terminology was referred to as "obesity" and that it comes from having had done an MBI which evaluates one's age, height and weight.

I now have a new description on my referral letter: Morbid Obesity. MBI

A word of advice. Don't have that second piece of cake, is it really worth it? Who wants to see 'THAT WORD' written on your file? Far better to have less cake and have a smile on your face!

Fonda Dubb

Eilat

Documenting Holocaust Survivors

It was with much interest that I read in ESRA Magazine #215 (January 2023) the article entitled "Documenting Survivors and keeping sane" by Tali Ironi.

For more than 20 years, from 1951 to 1973, I worked at the HIAS of Baltimore, (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), an organization which was created in 1903 to aid the many immigrants coming to America from Europe. Very shortly after the end of World War II with the arrival of survivors from the death camps it became necessary to join with the URO (United Restitution Organization) of New York to assist in the restitution of lost property and of indemnification for damages for these victims of Nazi persecution.

We filed hundreds of claims and the stories we were told were beyond horror. I was in my early twenties when I began this work and suffered from constant nightmares. This was not work which could be left behind at the end of the day. In addition, I felt a terrible sense of guilt. "There but for the grace of G-d..." I was born in Germany and grew up during the Nazi regime. Distant family living in the United States sponsored our family and we were able to leave Germany for the US in the summer of 1938. Had we not been able to leave when we did we would have suffered the same fate.

Many years have passed since I worked with Holocaust survivors and most of them are long gone but I will never forget my work with them and was always amazed at their ability to not only relate these horrible stories to us but also how they managed to create for themselves new lives and new families. Unbelievable!

These brave people and their stories are always with me.

Inge David

Herzliya

Rape is funny?

I was shocked and upset to see a so-called "funny" story in Laugh out Loud apparently extolling "rape". Really surprised to see this in "our" magazine, and hope this will never happen again.

Noreen Firestone

Karmiel

I received the January 2023 ESRA Magazine yesterday and was disturbed to find a "joke" about rape on the Laugh out Loud page 96. Rape is no laughing matter, certainly not something to be proud of. I find this 'joke' in extremely bad taste and not in line with the rest of the magazine and with ESRA in general.

Miri Greidi

Raanana

Response from Jennia Chodorov, writer of the Humor column:
I am so sorry you were offended by the word, which I considered innocuous in the context of the joke. It won't happen in the future.

Learning art at age 81

It has been over two years since I wrote a short piece in your wonderful ESRA Magazine about my first experiences in art and a lot of pictures have poured out my busy little fingers since then. I had my first lesson at the age of 81 and am now 85. Four years of experiment, discovery, and the introduction of more and more types of art techniques under the able tutelage of my art teacher Ruth Lenk at weekly art meetings at the AACI in Netanya. This culminated in a two-month exhibit in the AACI auditorium in Netanya which terminated in March.

My major inspiration has come from merely sitting on my porch located in our apartment block located on a high hill overlooking the beautiful Netanya beach far below and the sand and sea. The magnificent view – day and night, is forever "… piping songs forever new". Add this to the neighboring parks, other sites throughout Netanya and the country, and ideas from the computer on Internet sites such as Pinterest which, through Google, supplies one with encyclopedic knowledge and enormous details of millions of pieces of art throughout the ages up until today and is an amazing and inspiring source for ideas.

The exhibit included samples of crazy looking houses, tree houses, crazy looking trees that often resemble people, majestic mountains, wide rolling prairies (especially adored by me because of my Western Canadian background), cats, dogs, donkeys, insects, fish, ducks, jazz bands, beautiful streets with street lamps at night, lovers walking through lovely parks, beautiful forests with swiftly flowing waters, waterfalls, flowers and flower parks, magnificent sunrises and sunsets, colorful birds, clouds of countless shapes and colors, girls dancing at the follies, staircases, couples dancing on bridges in a park, children and adults enjoying a walk in the park, Elvis and Einstein, 50 Jewish symbols, older people playing with grandchildren, mechanical devices, still life and ballerinas.

For a guy who was told unequivocally throughout his life that art was not his forte I am the most amazed person of all.

Don Silverberg MD

Netanya

Who says the distributors are too old?

My very loud compliments for the latest ESRA Magazine #215 (January 2023). Impressive and interesting! Special BRAVA to the colors, including the front cover which was indeed a very festive salute.

And now a "personal" note, Merle, on your "From the Editor": You write that the distributors aged 70 & 80 are getting too old to distribute the magazine! May I "whisper to you", that I just distributed the magazines in my Raanana street and in very few days I will turn 91-years-old! (Also "chutzpa"- reading without glasses!).

Bob Bachmann

Raanana

Updated edition of Israel, a Chronology

A new 6" X 9" 499 page, 5th edition of my book Israel, a Chronology is now available on Amazon for $35. The book which is completely revised and improved, is updated till the end of 2022. This version is in black and white with about 180 photographs and 45 maps. It is available in color from Steimatzky online.

Adrian Wolff

Ramat Hasharon