Holocaust survivors and their descendants thank Biden for Israel support
‘What is happening today brings back my terrible memories,’ wrote one
President Joe Biden joins Israel’s Prime Minister for the start of the Israeli war cabinet meeting, in Tel Aviv on Oct. 18, 2023. Photo by Getty Images
By Beth Harpaz October 31, 2023
Nearly 2,500 Holocaust survivors and their descendants signed a letter thanking President Joe Biden for supporting Israel.
“These Holocaust survivors appreciate your consistent, vocal support and friendship with the Jewish people and your efforts to fight antisemitism,” the letter to Biden, dated Monday, said. “We hope you will take to heart the guidance from Holocaust survivors, who are the embodiment of resilience and courage and the greatest teachers of the dangers of antisemitism.”
The letter was organized by the Jewish Federation of North America’s Center on Holocaust Survivor Care and Institute on Aging and Trauma.
The signatories included 870 Holocaust survivors, 952 of their children, 606 of their grandchildren and 58 of their great-grandchildren.
They were identified by their first names, first initial of their last names, and hometowns. Their full names were not disclosed for “safety, security and privacy reasons,” according to JFNA spokesperson Niv Ellis.
Some of the survivors added personal notes. “I had trouble sleeping, thinking about all the innocent people in Southern Israel who were tortured, raped, and viciously murdered,” wrote one. “It brings back memories of the past to think how mankind could be so cruel.”
“During the quiet hours of the evening, I think about the past, how so many of my family members were murdered by the Nazis,” wrote another. “I am sad that what is happening today in the Middle East brings back many of my terrible memories.”
Shelley Rood Wernick, who runs JFNA’s Center on Holocaust Survivor Care, said the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel re-traumatized many survivors. “At the same time, Holocaust survivors are our models of resilience and strength. Their example will guide the Jewish community as we rebuild,” she said.
When case managers from local agencies shared the letter and invited their clients to sign, “it gave them a sense of empowerment,” she said. “Very quickly we surpassed all expectations of how many people would sign this letter.”
She also said that many survivors are very patriotic. “Generally speaking they are very grateful for the U.S. and grateful for the lives they’ve been able to build here,” she said. “The fact that the U.S. president, and the country that survivors have called home, are standing with them and supporting Israel is very meaningful to them.”
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