Connections Newsletter, February 2025

This issue contains articles on: the new Child Survivors of the Holocaust Anthology “In The Sunset of My Days”; Holocaust survivor felt ‘intoxicated’ by freedom; “History Repeats” by Dita Gould; Israel in the Kimberley: How the Top End nearly became a global Jewish hub; The Luciano Manara by Viv Parry; Greetings from the CEO of the Melbourne Holocaust Museum.

In this issue of Connections: Instructions for viewing the Child Survivors Group ‘Time Capsule 10-Year Reunion’ event video; a number of photos of the ‘Time Capsule 10-Year Reunion’ event.

In this issue of Connections: Upcoming event: The 10-year anniversary of the Child Survivor Time Capsule, plus articles: The amazing true story of a baby illegally born and smuggled out of Kovno ghetto by Reee Ghert-Zand; Speech for my mother Roza Riaikkenen, Candlelighter Yom HaShoah 2024 by Margarita Riaikkenen; In Australia, a new Holocaust museum doubles down on its mission after Oct. 7; My Story… My History! Claude Sanicki; Almost 80 years after the Holocaust,

245,000 Jewish survivors are still alive; Greetings from Dr Steven Cooke, the CEO of the Melbourne Holocaust Museum; and photo of Les Zimmerman, Memorial Candle Lighter.

This issue contains articles on: “Hidden Child: how I survived the Holocaust” by Baroness Regina Sluszny; “Boys with Rabbits” by Dr Paul Valent; Child Survivors’ wall hanging keeps on weaving the stories in its new home; “Escape to and from Shanghai” by Peter Nash and Greetings from new Melbourne Holocaust Museum CEO, Dr Steven Cooke.

In this issue – Dr Paul Valent’s transcription of his keynote speech: “Mirror on the Past …Reflections on our future – Antisemitism 2023”; Transcript of speech by Panellist Gary Fabian OAM; Transcript of speech by Lisa Lewis, Volunteer Coordinator, Courage to Care Victoria; Transcript of speech by Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann; In Memory: Szaja (John) Chaskiel OAM, Dita Gould’s 90th birthday.

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In this issue – ‘Hidden child’ Holocaust survivor lives how his father dreamed; “Antisemitism and the lessons I learned from my mother”; The Resurging Antisemitism in Germany; Irena Sendler and the Girls from Kansas; Film ‘Revenge: Our Dad the Nazi Killer’; Greetings from the Melbourne Holocaust Museum; and  In Memory: Charles Kessler.

Graphic: Roza with her rescuers Maria and Kasys Baksha 1944

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In this issue – A transcript of Dr Paul Valent’s keynote speech: “The Nature of Memory Across the Generations” at Holocaust Centre for Child survivors of the Holocaust and guests plus photos.

Graphic – Bernadette Gore meets French Holocaust Survivor Esther Wise.

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This issue contains a fascinating interview with Max Wald OAM, who has worked for many years interviewing Holocaust survivors for the Melbourne Holocaust Museum and is Vice President of the Australian Jewish Genealogical Society (Vic).

The theme for this issue is ‘Memory’, with articles by Dr Paul Valent, Paulette Goldberg, Rena Quint and Francine Lazarus plus an invitation to an upcoming event by Dr Paul Valent on ‘The Nature of Memory Across the Generations’. This issue also contains:

Greetings from Jayne Josem, CEO & Museum Director of the Melbourne Holocaust Museum,

Obituary for the late Danielle Charak OAM.

90^th birthday celebration for Paul Grinwald.

This issue contains photographs taken at the recent Child Survivors Group special tour of the newly built Melbourne Holocaust Museum and special greetings from Jayne Josem, Melbourne Holocaust Museum, Director and CEO.

This issue contains a fascinating article ‘Holocaust survivor left on a bench as a baby finds new family at 80’.

This issue contains a fascinating article ‘Holocaust survivor left on a bench as a baby finds new family at 80’.

Greetings from the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, CEO.

An Interview of Irma Hanner; Lisa Lewis, Volunteer Relationships Coordinator – Courage to Care; Odette Aronwald – Esther Wise, French Holocaust Survivor;

New Year Message to Child Survivors of the Holocaust from Dr Paul Valent and information about Paul’s book “Heart of Violence”;

Greetings from CSH Sydney: Francine Lazarus, Child Survivor of the Holocaust, and invitation to special Child Survivors Group tour of the Melbourne Holocaust Museum.

In this issue: the surprising true origin of Paddington Bear, after Queen Elizabeth’s video; greetings from Jayne Josem, Melbourne Holocaust Museum Director & CEO; ‘I remember one Winter…’ – reflections by Child survivors: Joe De Haan, Francine Lazarus, Roza Riaikkenen and Paul Grinwald; and Tribute to Caroline Jones – CSH Sydney.

At this exciting time in our history, this edition of Centre News reflects on the past, looking back to the very first issue published in 1984.

At this exciting time in our history, this edition of Centre News reflects on the past, looking back to the very first issue published in 1984. We celebrate the important contributions of the past editors. This issue looks deeper into the research of the Gandel Holocaust Survey and explores what some of the findings mean. Our feature article is an edited version of Professor Phillipe Sands keynote speech at the Betty and Shmuel Rosenkranz Oration. We are excited to update you on news of the redevelopment of our museum, as the main building phase nears completion. Please enjoy this edition of Centre News.

In this Passover issue, we have an article about a German writer who confronts history and himself.

In addition, we provide: a book review by Dr Paul Valent of “Survivors; Children’s Lives after the Holocaust” by Rebecca Clifford; greetings from Jayne Josem, Melbourne Holocaust Museum Museum Director & CEO and Litzi Lemberg, President of CSH Sydney; ‘I remember…’- Passover reflections from a number of Child Survivors: Joe De Haan, Judy Kolt, Netty Tepe-Schoemaker and Anne Handelsmann; and In Memorium for Sue Wright and Halina Robinson.

Image: Portraits of some of the children of Auschwitz documented by Alwin Meyer. (Alwin Meyer Archive/Hubert Kreke/State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau in Oświęcim/Zoltan Kozma/via JTA)

In this issue, we highlight the recent Dunera exhibition in Tatura by the late Paul Mezulianik, who was interned as an 'enemy alien' along with 2,000 other 'Dunera Boys' in 1940.

Also included in this addition are a number of written pieces by child survivors, who have reflected on their impressions of life under the COVID lockdown: Dita Gould, Joe De Haan, Sarah Saaroni OAM, Ena Lewis-Krant, Gary Fabian, Paul Valent, and Ruth Herschtal. In addition, Renata Schnall reflects on her late mother Danka Schnall, and greetings from Dr Tony Weldon OAM FRACP, Chairman of ‘Courage to Care’.

Cover image: A group of “Dunera Boys” after arriving in Australia in the 1940s. (Supplied: Friends of the Dunera Boys)

In this issue, we have an article by Dr Paul Valent about 'COVID (Dis)Connections.'

In addition, this issue also contains: details on the launch of the autobiography of Nina Bassat AM; greetings from Jayne Josem, Melbourne Holocaust Museum Museum Director & CEO and Litzi Lemberg, President of CSH Sydney; congratulations to Jacqueline Dale on being awarded a ‘Legion of Honour’ award and to Gary Fabian on being awarded an honour from Germany; ‘I remember…’- reflections from a number of Child Survivors: Richard Rozen OAM, Joe De Haan, Roza Riaikkenen, Paulette Goldberg, Sarah Tamir, Henry Buch and Paul Grinwald; and Renata Schnall about her late mother Danka Schnall.

Cover image: Henry Buch with his mother after the war.

This issue continues to provide acknowledgement of the effect that COVID has had on our community.

In addition, we provide: an article about Jewish Genealogy ‘The Holocaust destroyed Jewish families: Genealogy can help rebuild them’; a Letter from Rae Silverstein, Melbourne Holocaust Museum Welfare Officer; Letters from Child Survivors: Paul Grinwald, Judy Kolt, Richard Rozen OAM & Roza Riaikkenen.

IMAGE: Popelaner family of Riga

In this issue, we acknowledge the continuing effect that COVID has had on our community.

In addition, this issue of the Connections Newsletter provides: congratulations to Irma Hanner on being awarded an Order of Australia; the World Federation News Update on the Child Survivors’ new website; information on the passing of Halina Robinson; an Open Letter to CSH from Dr Tony Weldon, Chairman, Courage to Care; an article about the new Child Survivors exhibition at Yad Vashem; Eva Marks obituary.

IMAGE: Children’s home in Otwock Poland (Source: Yad Vashem Archive)

In this issue we acknowledge the effect that COVID has had on our community, and give a welcome to our new Vice-President - Lena Fiszman.

In addition, we provide the latest news about the new Child Survivor Group’s website, “My Life… My Story” – Lena Fiszman, the Latest Holocaust Survivor Compensation Advice from JewishCare, details on the Postponement of World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust & Descendants (New York) Conference and a poem: “What To Wear” by Stan Marks OAM.

Image: Fiszman family 1950s