Edith Jucker, third from right, dances with descendants of survivors, rescuers and German Consul Kerstin Vaessen, right, in Kingwood on May 1
Marchers of all ages carried flags and signs from the Creekwood Middle School Veterans Memorial Garden to the Holocaust Hope Garden
Holocaust survivor, descendant of a Nazi and daughter of a Righteous Among the Nations, she shared her story in front of a delighted audience
— Rozalie Jerome, National Director, March of Remembrance Texas
KINGWOOD, TX, USA, May 10, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Texas Remembrance Walk in Houston, Holocaust Museum Houston Warren Fellow and second-generation descendant of Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor Rozalie Jerome and a volunteer team of more than 50 were honored to welcome Edith Jucker, survivor of the Holocaust, as keynote speaker for the opening ceremonies. Although the Jucker family, founders and owners of the iconic Three Brothers Bakery, have been a household name in Houston for decades, Edith had never shared her story publicly until Sunday, May 1 at the March of Remembrance event. . His delivery of this testimony to his childhood memories was masterfully written and expressed with sensitivity, all with a touch of humor mixed with seriousness. She recounted the challenges of hiding from the Nazis and camping for seemingly endless nights – grateful for the occasional journals that could be used as covers. The family scavenged for food in the forest and managed to survive. After attending church services with a Catholic friend, Edith shared how grateful she was for the delicious wafer the priest gave her – and how disappointed she was that she didn’t get seconds!
Edith Jucker’s testimony of survival captivated the audience, who had gathered to hear her story, as well as the stories of a remorseful Nazi descendant and the daughter of a rescuer who was given the title of Righteous among the Nations as well as a President’s Medal of Honor. from Poland. Edith broke the veil of silence and bravely recounted her experience during the horrific years of the Holocaust and post-war Europe, and Claudia Kiesinger bravely told the painful story of her Nazi grandfathers, who ‘she does not wish to imitate. Renata Hurd has shared how her teenage father was instrumental in her family’s decision to hide nine Jewish people on their property. It was clear that one person’s courageous decision can have a significant impact on the lives of others.
Poland’s consul general in Houston and staff from the Israeli and German consular offices were also present. The opening ceremonies were followed by Aaron’s blessing and closing prayers by Dr. Hy Penn of Temple Beth Torah, a Kingwood descendant of Holocaust survivors, Denise Kahan and Deacon of the Catholic Church St. Martha Carlin Walters. The two-mile memorial walk starting at this year’s host venue, Creekwood Middle School in Kingwood, passed the adjacent Veterans Memorial Garden and ended at the site of the future Holocaust Hope Garden along the Lake Houston waterfront. Those who could not walk were transported by Humble ISD school buses to and from the sites. Adi Rabinowitz-Bedein, a Holocaust activist-educator from Israel, raised awareness about the death marches and the importance of remembering…why? Because it is to connect….
When each attendee arrived at the Holocaust Hope Garden, they heard beautiful music accompanied by the reading of the names of child Holocaust victims, recited by various churches and Beth Torah devotees. “We remembered, we reconciled, we took a public stand against anti-Semitism with our march…now we celebrate the lives of those who survived and our commitment to be advocates.” Rozalie Jerome said just before the celebration of life at the end of the event. After Kaddish, read by Holocaust survivor Morris Narunsky and translated by Chelsea Brewer, lively and inspiring music and dance performed by several religious groups glorified Gd for His goodness, even in the midst of such darkness.
Remembrance marches around Yom HaShoah took place in 20 German cities, as well as in 50 international cities this year; five of them in Ukraine, despite the war, as pointed out by Heinz Reuss, international director of the Marches. For the past decade, the March of Remembrance Texas Chapter has encouraged local residents in Houston and beyond to honor survivors by giving them a voice, to facilitate the reconciliation of survivors and their families with emotional Nazi descendants. remorse and to take a stand against modern anti-Semitism. . He has promoted and associated with the Holocaust Museum of Houston and the citywide Yom HaShoah service for many years. The key now is to bring the marches to schools and universities as well as churches and synagogues.
The Texas Houston Walk of Remembrance was made possible by generous sponsors Kingwood Emergency Hospital, Insperity and Midway. HEB provided snacks and cold water to walkers in addition to their donation. For opportunities to sponsor the 2023 walk, visit Holocaust Remembrance Association. The Kingwood Walk was organized by Creekwood Middle School with Principal Walt Winicki. The co-host was Kingwood Middle School, with principal Michael Curl, who will host next year’s walk at their new facility.
The next step in this movement is the construction of the Holocaust Garden of Hope, an interactive outdoor educational initiative with the goal of educating children and young families about the role of children as survivors, victims , rescuers and perpetrators during the Holocaust. The garden is home to the Upstander Stone Project, an educational tool for students, teachers and civic groups to paint stones in memory of children who perished in the Holocaust. These stones will be “planted” in the Garden near the eight pocket exhibits that tell the story of the Holocaust. By engaging future generations with questions grounded in the values that gave rise to the Holocaust, the Holocaust Garden of Hope will serve as a springboard for people to dive deeper into the wealth of information offered by the Museum. of the Houston Holocaust and other important and established museums. .
Edith Jucker and her family continue to impact our community with their stories of surviving the Holocaust despite unfathomable odds, and descendants of Nazis and rescuers encourage us that it is indeed possible to make righteous decisions. in the face of gross injustice.
Learn about the Holocaust Remembrance Association, including the Holocaust Garden of Hope, the Upstander Stones Project and scholarship opportunities at www.HRA18.org.
Rozalie Jerome
Holocaust Remembrance Association
+1 888-546-8111
admin@hra18org
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