Haifa Home Residents Delight in New Experiences

By: Yudit Setz, ICEJ Deputy Aid Director

Here is the latest from the ICEJ’s unique Home for Holocaust Survivors in Haifa.

Garden Outing

After the rain and cold of winter, the warmer weather brought everything into bloom here in Northern Israel. Israel was fresh and green again.

While many of our residents longed to see flowers blooming in nature, some were too weak to go outside alone. They stayed at home day after day but longed to go out and see something new. Some used to have gardens of their own and love flowers.

Not far from Haifa is Kibbutz Ygur, located on the slopes of Mount Carmel, which has a large nursery and greenhouse full of colorful flowers. It was a wonderful place to take a group of our residents who enjoyed the beauty of flowers and wanted to drink a cup of coffee in the nursery’s café.

One of our wheelchair-bound residents, Julia, recently arrived from Ukraine with her son. “I didn’t realize Haifa is such a big city,” she said. “The only thing I see is my apartment, the dining room, and the doctor’s office.”

For Sofia the outing was balm for her soul. “These flowers don’t only bring joy to my eyes, but they fill my soul with joy,” she exclaimed.

A Bird’s-Eye View of Haifa
Cable car ride over Haifa

The ICEJ team also organized a special sightseeing tour in Haifa for a group of our residents. The change in environment, beautiful weather, and excitement of getting out were great ways to bond, even if they could not always communicate in the same language.

Haifa is built on the Carmel mountain range, and in 2022, a cable car opened to the public, and from it, visitors enjoy breathtaking views of Haifa Bay and the surrounding area. Our residents were delighted to try the new cable cars and thoroughly enjoyed the bird’s-eye view of the sea, forests, and Haifa neighborhoods.

At the top, we visited the local coffee shop before heading back down the mountain. Everyone came home a little tired but full of memories and stories to share. “I am so glad I could join; it is so much better than sitting at home,” said Emma.
Holocaust Remembrance Day
Photography students taking pictures of Holocaust Survivors

In preparation for Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Haifa Home hosted groups of young Israelis eager to meet Holocaust Survivors. One group of teenagers is studying photography at Haifa’s Reut School of Arts, and they came with a special project in mind: an exhibition dedicated to the Survivors. The students spent time with different residents in the Home, taking photos and capturing their inner beauty for a photographic exhibition of the Survivors held on Yom HaShoah at the Krieger Auditorium in Haifa. The residents treasured the chance to be models for a day: “It makes me so happy to be around these young people, who are so full of life,” said 91-year-old Zelda.

Passover

Right before Passover, many organizations work tirelessly to prepare food packages for needy families and the elderly so no one will go hungry during the week-long Pesach holiday. Many volunteers from local businesses, the army, and police joined our residents to prepare hundreds of holiday packages for needy Holocaust Survivors in Haifa and other parts of the country.

A group of students also came from a high school in Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev and managed to pack 200 food parcels with us in two hours. Afterward, they listened to Esti, one of our residents, tell her life story.

Swiss Adopters Visit Naomi

The Glauser family recently came from Switzerland to meet Naomi, a Haifa Home resident they have been supporting. Naomi welcomed them warmly and recounted some atrocities she had endured during the Holocaust.
The Glover family from Switzerland visit with NaomiThe Glover family from Switzerland visit with Naomi

Naomi was born in Chernivtsi (today in Ukraine) in 1934. When the war began, the Nazis took over Naomi’s town, forced her family into a ghetto, and sent her father to a labor camp. Naomi’s uncle and aunt were also sent to a camp.

In the ghetto Naomi’s family was often threatened by random gunfire, forcing them to hide in an attic for safety. One day, two Nazi officers beat Naomi’s mother severely and ordered the whole family to be shot, but they were spared. Christian neighbors hid them until their liberation by Russian forces. It turned out Naomi’s father was still alive. The family returned home in 1947, but their traumatic experiences stayed with them.

Despite the hardships in her life, Naomi remains resilient, and her courage truly inspired the Glauser family.

“After being in contact with Naomi for three years now, I was able to visit her for the first time with my family,” said Ursula Glauser. “It was very special to see Naomi, to listen to her, and to feel her big heart. Although we brought gifts with us, I am the one who is going home richer for it. Thank you very much!”

Introducing Boris

Boris and Etta came to live in the Haifa Home for Holocaust Survivors five years ago. Boris, now 88, was born in Zaporozhe, in Ukraine, in 1934. When he was seven years old, the war came to his town. His first memory of the war is when his father rushed to their apartment and yelled something to his mother. She only had time to grab a pillow and a blanket before fleeing their home.

While German soldiers were entering their town, the family ran to the train station on the opposite side of town, where a train was about to leave. They quickly boarded a cargo car and sat on a pile of straw. Boris remembers the train faced air raids all the way to Moscow. When the German planes appeared, the train stopped, and Boris’ father cried: “Get out, fast.” Everyone ran from the train and hid near the tracks while machine guns fired. When the planes left, the train continued its route.
Boris and Etta, Haifa Home residents

Boris’ family was brought to Omsk, a small town in Siberia. The winter of 1941–1942 was freezing; temperatures dropped to –40C. The family arrived without warm clothes, suffering from the severe cold. Boris remembers once, on the way to school, his ears got so cold he became sick—and he has had problems with his ears ever since.

When he was still a schoolboy, antisemitism was rampant in the Soviet Union, and from a young age, Boris had to fight to protect himself simply because he was Jewish. He would come home with bruises all over his face. His father had to work at the military factory from early morning until late at night and could not protect his son.

After high school, Boris joined the Soviet army. One day he and some comrades took unauthorized leave and were sent to a construction unit as punishment. There he met people from all over the country, including some who did not speak Russian. In the evenings, he taught them Russian, which also helped him learn the basics of several other languages.

After his army service, Boris entered university to further his language studies. He finished the courses but did not want to become a teacher. This angered the authorities, who punished him by sending him to a distant village for his “rebellious character.” A year later, he returned to Omsk and began working at a factory in the patent department. He saw different inventions made in other countries and noticed the low quality of products and life in the Soviet Union.

When perestroika (“restructuring”) began in the late 1980s, the factory where he worked was closed. It was a difficult time, and crime became rampant. Boris and his wife, Etta, always felt like strangers in the Soviet Union and continually dealt with antisemitism. In 1999 they finally decided to make Aliyah to Israel.

They quickly came to love Israel, and today, they are so glad to be at the Haifa Home. The couple had to move many times in Haifa, and when they heard about our Home five years ago, they were eager to move in. They remain grateful to live in a place that takes such good care of them and where they do not have to move again.

Please consider supporting our Haifa home for Holocaust Survivors.

Haifa Home 居民對新體驗感到高興

作者：Yudit Setz，ICEJ 援助副主任

以下是 ICEJ 位於海法的獨特大屠殺生還者之家的最新消息。

花園郊遊

經歷了雨季和寒冷的冬天後，溫暖的天氣讓以色列北部的一切都綻放出了花朵。以色列又恢復了新鮮和綠色。

雖然我們的許多居民渴望看到大自然中鮮花盛開，但有些人太虛弱，無法獨自外出。他們日復一日地呆在家裡，但渴望出去看看新的東西。有些人曾經擁有自己的花園並且喜歡鮮花。

距離海法不遠的是伊古爾基布茲（Kibbutz Ygur），位於卡梅爾山的山坡上，這裡有一個大型苗圃和開滿五顏六色鮮花的溫室。對於我們的一群居民來說，這是一個很棒的地方，他們欣賞美麗的花朵，並想在托兒所的咖啡廳喝一杯咖啡。

我們的一位坐輪椅的居民朱莉婭最近帶著她的兒子從烏克蘭來到這裡。「我沒有意識到海法是這麼大城市，」她說。「我唯一看到的就是我的公寓、餐廳和醫生的辦公室。」

對於索菲亞來說，這次郊遊對她的靈魂來說是一種安慰。「這些花不僅給我的眼睛帶來歡樂，而且讓我的靈魂充滿歡樂，」她感嘆道。

海法鳥瞰圖
乘坐纜車穿越海法

ICEJ 團隊還為我們的一群居民在海法組織了一次特別的觀光旅遊。環境的變化、美麗的天氣和外出的興奮都是建立聯繫的好方法，即使他們不能總是用同一種語言進行交流。

海法建在卡梅爾山脈上，2022 年，纜車向公眾開放，遊客可以從纜車上欣賞海法灣及周邊地區的壯麗景色。我們的居民很高興嘗試新的纜車，並充分享受了大海、森林和海法社區的鳥瞰圖。

在山頂，我們參觀了當地的咖啡店，然後返回下山。 每個人回到家都有點累，但充滿了回憶和故事可以分享。「我很高興能夠加入； 這比坐在家裡好多了，」艾瑪說。

大屠殺紀念日
攝影學生為大屠殺生還者拍照

為了準備大屠殺紀念日，海法之家接待了一群渴望見到大屠殺生還者的以色列年輕人。 一群青少年正在海法羅伊特藝術學院學習攝影，他們想到了一個特殊的項目：專門為倖存者舉辦的展覽。學生們與收容所的不同居民一起渡過了時光，拍攝照片並捕捉他們的內在美，以便在贖罪日在海法克里格禮堂舉辦的生還者攝影展上進行。 居民們珍惜當一天模特的機會：「和這些充滿活力的年輕人在一起讓我很高興，」91 歲的塞爾達說。

逾越節

逾越節前夕，許多組織孜孜不倦地為有需要的家庭和老年人準備食品包，這樣在為期一周的逾越節假期裡就不會有人挨餓了。來自當地企業、軍隊和警察的許多志願者與我們的居民一起，為海法和該國其他地區貧困的大屠殺生還者準備了數百份假期套餐。

一群來自內蓋夫米茨佩·拉蒙一所高中的學生在兩個小時內給我們打包了200個食品包。隨後，他們聽我們的一位居民埃斯蒂講述了她的人生故事。

瑞士領養者拜訪娜奧米

格勞瑟一家最近從瑞士趕來會見他們一直支持的海法之家居民內奧米。 內奧米熱烈歡迎他們，並講述了她在大屠殺期間遭受的一些暴行。

來自瑞士的格洛弗家族拜訪娜奧米來自瑞士的格洛弗家族拜訪娜奧米

內奧米1934年出生於切爾諾夫策（今烏克蘭）。戰爭開始後，納粹佔領了內奧米所在的城鎮，迫使她的家人進入貧民窟，並將她的父親送進了勞改營。 內奧米的叔叔和嬸嬸也被送往集中營。

在貧民窟裡，內奧米的家人經常受到隨機槍擊的威脅，迫使他們躲在閣樓里以求安全。有一天，兩名納粹軍官毒打了內奧米的母親，並下令槍殺全家人，但他們卻倖免於難。基督教鄰居將他們藏起來，直到被俄羅斯軍隊解放。原來娜奧米的父親還活著。1947年，一家人回到家鄉，但痛苦的經歷卻一直伴隨著他們。

儘管生活艱辛，內奧米仍然堅韌不拔，她的勇氣真正激勵了格勞澤一家。

「與內奧米接觸三年後，我第一次能夠和家人一起去看望她，」烏蘇拉·格勞澤說。「見到娜奧米、聆聽她的講話、感受到她寬廣的胸懷，真是太特別了。雖然我們帶了禮物，但我回家後會變得更富有。非常感謝！」

鮑里斯介紹

鮑里斯和埃塔來到這里居住五年前，海法大屠殺生還者之家。現年88歲的鮑里斯1934年出生於烏克蘭扎波羅熱。他七歲時，戰爭來到了他的家鄉。他對戰爭的第一個記憶是當他的父親衝進他們的公寓並對他的母親大喊大叫時。她只來得及抓起枕頭和毯子就逃離了家。

當德國士兵進入他們的城鎮時，一家人跑到城鎮對面的火車站，那裡有一列火車即將出發。他們很快登上一輛貨車，坐在一堆稻草上。鮑里斯記得，火車在前往莫斯科的途中遭遇了空襲。當德國飛機出現時，火車停了下來，鮑里斯的父親喊道：「快出去。」當機槍掃射時，每個人都逃離火車並躲在鐵軌附近。 飛機離開後，火車繼續原路行駛。

鮑里斯和埃塔，海法之家居民

鮑里斯的家人被帶到西伯利亞的一個小鎮鄂木斯克。1941年至1942年的冬天非常寒冷。溫度降至–40C。一家人到達時沒有保暖的衣服，忍受著嚴寒。鮑里斯記得有一次，在去學校的路上，他的耳朵太冷了，以至於生病了——從那以後他的耳朵就一直有問題。

當他還是個學生的時候，蘇聯反猶太主義盛行，鮑里斯從小就不得不為了保護自己而戰，僅僅因為他是猶太人。 他回家時臉上都是淤青。 父親要在軍工廠從早幹到深夜，無法保護兒子。

高中畢業後，鮑里斯加入了蘇聯軍隊。 有一天，他和一些同志擅自請假，被送到一建築單位受處分。 在那裡，他遇到了來自全國各地的人，其中包括一些不會說俄語的人。 晚上，他教他們俄語，這也幫助他學習了其他幾種語言的基礎知識。

服完兵役後，鮑里斯進入大學繼續深造語言。他完成了課程，但不想成為一名教師。這激怒了當局，當局因他的「叛逆性格」而將他送到一個遙遠的村莊。一年後，他回到鄂木斯克，開始在一家工廠的專利部門工作。 他看到了其他國家的不同發明，並註意到蘇聯的產品和生活質量低下。

當20世紀80年代末改革開始時，他工作的工廠被關閉。 那是一段艱難的時期，犯罪活動猖獗。 鮑里斯和他的妻子埃塔在蘇聯總是感覺像陌生人，並不斷與反猶太主義打交道。1999年，他們最終決定回歸以色列。

他們很快就愛上了以色列，今天，他們很高興來到海法之家。 這對夫婦在海法搬了很多次家，五年前當他們聽說我們的家園時，他們就迫不及待地搬進去。他們仍然感激生活在一個對他們如此照顧的地方，而且他們不必再搬家。 再次移動。

請考慮支持我們海法大屠殺生還者之家。