Seventy-five years after the Russian forces liberated what perhaps was the most famous death camp in the Holocaust, one of its survivors is going to share his story. Moshe Avital, who was sent to Auschwitz when he was only 14 years old, will be addressing a special gathering at the Eternal Flame Lecture.
The talk, titled “A Year After My Bar Mitzvah I Was Sent to Auschwitz,” will feature Avital’s fascinating story. As a young child of a family of 11, he lost close to 200 relatives during the Holocaust. He managed to survive, fight in the war for Israel’s independence and eventually immigrate to the U.S. where he started a new life.
He then pursued his academic dreams, earning B.A. and M.S. in education, and a Ph.D. in Hebrew literature. He authored over a dozen books on various topics, but his most important goal is to share with the world what happened.
He recalls how even during the Holocaust itself, his fellow death-camp mates were concerned that the world is not going to believe the atrocities committed by the Nazis.
“Everyone at the time said to me, ‘Who will believe us? They will kill us all. Someone must tell the world what truly happened,” he said.
“With every year that passes, there is a greater urgency to have the stories of the Holocaust heard, firsthand, from the remaining survivors,” said Rabbi Yosef Orenstein of Valley Chabad’s Eternal Flame, the event organizers. “With the recent rise of anti-Semitism in the U.S., it seems that these lessons are as relevant as ever.”
“Survivors like Moshe Avital are true heroes,” he said. “Instead of sinking in despair, they rose from the ashes to build a beautiful life and inspire all of those around them. He is a true testament to the fact that Hitler’s plan failed.”
The event will take place on Sunday, March 15, 6:00 p.m., at Tice Community Center, 411 Chestnut Ridge Rd. in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Limited space. Disounted tickets are just $10 and $5 for students and seniors when purchased in advance. For more information and tickets, visit eternalflame.org or call 201-476-0157.
