Elizabeth, NJ–Asarah b’Tevet, the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, this year fell on January 1. While schools were closed that day, the Jewish Educational Center’s Bruriah High School commemorated it one day prior by hosting 16 local Holocaust survivors for lunch, conversation and an innovative and thoughtful joint crafts project.

Asarah b’Tevet was designated in 1948 by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel as Yom ha-Kaddish ha-Klali, the general Memorial Day for those Jews who died during the Holocaust whose day of death (Yahrzeit) is unknown and for those Holocaust victims for whom there were no living survivors to recite the Kaddish. On this fast day, which also marks the ancient Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, Kaddish is recited for these souls.

At Bruriah, on this day of commemoration, after sharing lunch with the students, the survivors split into smaller groups to share their stories, insights and inspiration with students in a more intimate fashion. Many had prepared remarks and others held more of an informal Q&A with students that enabled the girls to ask sensitive questions and share support. Following the discussions, the survivors and students regrouped to work on a joint art project–a memory-quilt–to give tangible expression to the feelings and lessons of the day, and serve as a reminder for future generations.

The quilt will be displayed prominently at the Bruriah campus.

Survivors who participated in this special day included: Marta Felberbaum, Anita Fox, Gladys Halpern, Ernest Wachtel, Pearl Zalmonowitz, Giza Welner, Lilian Tobin, Georgette Thinitz, Fay Malkin, Chaim Weiser, Saul Rosencrantz, Sally Fishberg, Nathan Kasden, Saul Graf, Mr. and Mrs.Wimmer.

By Adina Abramov