Marsha Kreuzman weighed only
68 pounds and was near death when American soldiers freed her from the steps of
one of Hitler’s concentration camps where Jews were cremated. She was 18 years old at the time and says she
looked like a skeleton.
Now, almost 90 years old, Kreuzman
is still haunted by the bitter realities of her painful past. “They murdered
[my father] in front of me” she said.
Her mother and brother were also killed.
There was a time, Kreuzman says, when she wanted to die too. “We knew
that we were going to die, so we wanted to die sooner than later. Because of
all the tortures, nothing to eat, nothing to drink, no wash, no going to the
bathroom.”
Kreuzman always wanted to
thank her liberators. After settling in New Jersey she says she spent decades
trying to track them down. But it wasn’t until this past October when she
finally found an important clue: a 65th wedding anniversary announcement for
Joe and Anne Barbella. The article, published in a local newspaper, noted that
Joe was a WWII Vet and had served in the 11th Armored Division – the same unit
that helped liberate the Mauthausen concentration camp. That was Kreuzman’s camp. “I nearly
fainted. I still have a shock, really
and truly” she said.
Kreuzman looked up Joe
Barbella, 93, and after a tearful conversation, visited him at his home. As fate would have it, the two had lived in
the same town -- just a few miles apart -- for more than 33 years. And they
lived somewhat parallel lives. Like
Kreuzman, Barbella, also spent years talking to students about the horrors of
the Holocaust -- insistent the world should not forget those who were
murdered. Two people determined to tell
their stories. Now, the survivor and her liberator have become friends. Kreuzman
calls Barbella a hero. “He deserves to be honored”, she said. “Now I can rest in peace knowing that I found
him and got to thank the Americans that liberated me.”
(As told by Rehema Ellis, Correspondent,
NBC News.)
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One of the main themes of
Pesach is gratitude. The popular Seder song Dayeinu is an exercise in
gratitude. Shira, song, is a vehicle for expressing our gratitude to Hashem.
That’s why Hallel, the type we say at the Seder as well as the type that we
recite as part of Pesach morning prayers all week, is called Shira, song. While
anyone can (and should) feel gratitude, only free women and men have the
opportunity to express gratitude whenever and wherever they want. It is
therefore not surprising that the Pesach holiday culminates with the scene at
the sea, during which the entire Jewish People gratefully sing the Song at the
Sea.
On the last day of Pesach we recite
Yizkor. These memorial prayers seem to be an odd choice to include in our
Jewish holiday observance. However upon further consideration, Yizkor is a most
appropriate way to end the Pesach season. In the context of Pesach, Yizkor is
not meant to focus our attention on the sadness and loss of those dearly
departed. Rather we remember these people as expressions of gratitude for the
legacies they left behind and the impacts that they had on others; impacts
which reverberate to this day.
There is a custom to make a
donation to our shul in memory of the people for whom we say Yizkor. Our shul
is also deserving of our gratitude. It serves as a focal point for Jewish life
and helps perpetuate Jewish values from one generation to the next. This
Yizkor, I ask you to consider joining our Legacy Society. A legacy gift costs
nothing now. But it immediately demonstrates your appreciation by including the
shul in your estate plan. Please join this illustrious group of over 40 members
who are already Legacy donors. To join the YIH Legacy Society just fill out
this form here: https://images.shulcloud.com/406/uploads/Life-and-Legacy/FilableDOI2021.pdf
If you have any questions or to learn more, please contact me or Reva
Homnick.
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