#170: Holocaust Shadows IV - Survivors, Liberators & Rescuers
Many Jews were reluctant first-hand witnesses to Nazi cruelty and suffering.
For many Hungarian survivors, often deliberately misled about the truth of Auschwitz's existence, betrayal only added to their pain. Risa Shayowitz - aged a young 95 years old - relays that tragedy, even as she looks only to move forward.
An American chaplain in the US Army in April 1945 - Rabbi Hershel Schachter - opened up the gates of Hell. In a little known recording, we hear him describe the piles of bodies, the still warm crematoria and the emaciated Jews he discovered there. His dedication gave life to many.
Our duty nowadays is to understand what Exile means and how Tisha B'Av gives us that ability.
For further details on the Poland trip 3rd-6th November with Rabbi Hersh & Rabbi Tatz, email: [email protected]
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Jewish Heritage and History
01:50 The Remarkable Life of Riza Indic-Kaufman
04:34 Survival Stories from Auschwitz
11:14 Life in Auschwitz: A Personal Account
19:36 The Impact of Loss and Resilience
25:50 The Role of Liberators: Rabbi Herschel Schachter
30:20 Experiencing Buchenwald: A Chaplain's Perspective
40:53 Rebuilding Lives After Liberation
51:53 The Journey to Switzerland and New Beginnings
01:00:33 Reflections on Suffering and Redemption
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#169: Holocaust Shadows III - The Survivor
We speak of 'Holocaust Survivors' without understanding what they survived, without knowing the trauma and guilt they carried.
A young 16-year-old girl (now 97 years old) was taken through the cruelty of Auschwitz - and asked by Mengele to decide the fate of her own mother.
How did she find the strength of mind? How did she become a beacon to others, learn to redefine freedom and turn her wounds into a source of hope?
And how should Tisha B'Av redefine our understanding of exile?
Chapters:
00:00 The Journey Begins: A Survivor's Tale
19:04 Reunion and Resilience: Finding Family After the War
24:55 Life After Liberation: Struggles and Triumphs
28:05 Facing New Challenges: The Fight for a Future
28:10 The Decision to Leave
30:23 The Escape Plan
31:53 A New Life in America
33:20 Confronting the Past
36:55 Lessons from Auschwitz
43:08 Moving Forward from Trauma
55:00 The Power of Belief
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#168: Holocaust Shadows II - The Forgeries
Despite being a Western country, Holland almost equalled the East in its destructiveness during the Holocaust.
2 non-Jews created their own narrative by bypassing the system. One took great risks, the other received great reward. Their unusual stories, extend forgery into new territory.
And a mention of Mein Kampf - one hundred years later.
Chapters
00:00 The Journey into Danger
01:40 The Context of the Holocaust
06:41 The Systematic Persecution of Jews in Holland
08:55 The Story of Jaap Penraat
14:57 The Art of Forgery and Resistance
22:47 The Nazi Obsession with Art
29:58 The Aftermath of War and Art Recovery
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#167: Holocaust Shadows I: The Forger
Hidden away in a tiny attic in Paris, a Jew created freedom for thousands by forging Identity cards, ration books and travel passes.
Hunted by Nazis, his genius and dedication came with enormous risk. And his experiences left him with a sense of guilt that would never leave him.
Email [email protected] for the Prague trip...
Chapters
00:00 Trapped in History: The Beginning of a Journey
01:35 The Holocaust Series: A Focus on Forgers
02:50 Adolfo Kaminsky: The Master Forger
03:14 A Life of Identity: The Early Years of Kaminsky
07:28 The Loss of Innocence: A Family's Tragedy
10:50 Imprisonment and Survival: The Drancy Experience
13:46 The Art of Forgery: Kaminsky's New Identity
18:48 Creating New Lives: The Resistance Movement
23:09 The Pressure of Time: A Race Against Death
28:00 The Underground Network: Delivering Hope
29:57 The Aftermath of War: A New Role for Kaminsky
33:17 Legacy of a Forger: Saving Lives Beyond the War
37:09 A Life of Sacrifice: Kaminsky's Continued Fight
40:45 The Complexity of Identity: Kaminsky's Later Years
44:19 A Lasting Impact: Kaminsky's Global Influence
47:24 Reflections on Guilt and Responsibility
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#166: Jerusalem III : 1099-1568
In the Medieval period, Jerusalem was repeatedly fought over and at times only 2 Jews lived there. Yet there were always those who braved making Aliya including Ramban, Bartenura and Rav Yechiel of Paris - all recording accounts of their journey. But who were the Mamluks? Where is the Holy Toothpick? And who built the Sultan's Pool?
To book a place on the Maharal Prague trip 8th-11th September: [email protected]
Chapters
00:00 Welcome Back and Celebrations
03:07 Reflections on the Poland Trip
06:01 The Crusades and Their Impact on Jerusalem
08:48 The Aftermath of the Crusader Conquest
12:10 Saladin's Rise and the Muslim Response
15:02 The Third Crusade and Negotiations for Jerusalem
17:52 The Mamluks and Their Rule
21:02 The Jewish Presence in Jerusalem
24:07 The Aliyah of Scholars to Eretz Yisrael
27:01 The Ottoman Conquest and Its Effects
30:03 Life in Jerusalem Under Ottoman Rule
32:52 The Economic and Social Conditions of Jews
36:02 Travel and Migration to Eretz Yisrael
39:01 The Keys of Jerusalem and Their Significance
42:09 The Jewish Community in Jerusalem
45:01 The Future of Jerusalem and Upcoming Topics
About History for the Curious - The Jewish History Podcast
History for the Curious
The most talked-about Jewish History Podcast
History for the Curious features the dynamic historian and famous tour guide & lecturer: Rabbi Aubrey Hersh, live from the JLE in London, hosted by myself: Mena Reisner
Join us as we cross continents, sail through the centuries, tracing lives, uncovering events and following epic journeys, to reveal the untold stories, the scandals, and the mysteries, that have impacted our history and shaped us into who we are today.
Encounter leaders, visionaries, spies, heroes & traitors and unpack 2,000 years of Jewish heritage.
Go back to the story of Jews in the Temple of Jerusalem. Confront the dilemmas of the Holocaust. Visit Paris, Prague, Vilna, London, Venice, New York & the Cairo Geniza. Meet The Russian Czar, Ramchal, Maharal, Maimonides, Churchill, Shabbetai Zvi and the Hapsburgs.
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