In the lead up to Holocaust Memorial Day, King Solomon High School hosted an interschool memorial event, in which I was fortunate enough to attend. Descendant of a Holocaust Survivor, Hephzibah Rudofsky, educated attendees in her family’s history through recounting the personal story of her family’s experiences during World War Two.
The Holocaust is the name given to the mass genocide that took place in World War Two, where the Nazis, who possessed strong Anti-Semitic beliefs, murdered approximately six million European Jews.
Hephzibah Rudofsky, daughter of the late Holocaust Survivor Lady Zahava Kohn, paid a visit to King Solomon to share the story of her mother, uncle and grandparents during the Second World War (1939-1945). During her presentation, Hephzibah informed us about how her family were able to survive Nazi occupation in Holland and the horrific and hostile conditions of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. For example, Hephzibah spoke about the excruciatingly long daily roll calls held in the outdoor areas of the camp, leaving those imprisoned exposed to the elements for hours at a time, sometimes even knee deep in snow with only a thin garment to keep them warm.
As well as being highly educational, Hephzibah’s seminar was incredibly captivating as she was able to show us original and, in some cases, unique artifacts from the War. From first aid kits and her mother’s Star of David (which Jewish people were required to wear on their outer garment during Nazi Occupation in Europe) to personal letters and tin bowls from Bergen-Belsen, these artifacts, in accompaniment to her presentation, allowed Hephzibah to fully engage with the audience. Hephzibah also frequently interacted with the audience by asking, as well as answering questions.
“An aspect of the seminar that was especially touching, was how eye-opening it was to hear such a profoundly unique and difficult journey of three individuals, whilst also remembering the millions who sadly passed in the Holocaust. They must all be remembered.” Says Daniella Vajushi, student at King Solomon.
I was intrigued to find out what motivated Hephzibah to share her family’s story and when asked this, she replied “All the stories from the Holocaust are important and unique – but in my case, I feel a profound duty to pass on my mother’s story not merely as an individual narrative but as an integral part of a broader story. I also think that by sharing one story of one survivor (and in this case my mother’s family’s survival) – it is more accessible to audiences – rather than quoting statistics and speaking generally about the millions of Jews who were killed during the Holocaust.”
The event was not only insightful, but it was also eye-opening. Hearing a unique and personal account of a Holocaust Survivor gave a much more detailed perspective into the lives of European Jews during this time, and educated us more than any textbook could do. To find out more about Lady Zahava Kohn’s story, visit https://www.survivingtheholocaust.co.uk/, Hephzibah’s website.
