KOL ISRAEL
FOUNDATION
NEWSLETTER
“Sharing our past to change the future”
4th quarter, 2016
Wine, Cheese and Your Ideas Please!
The key consensus of the group:
 Holocaust education should
continue to be part of Ohio’s
core curricula;
 We are a like-minded community and share Yiddish
terms and experiences;
 It is the 3rd generation’s
turn to carry the torch into
the future.
“What an amazing evening!”
More than 20 men and women
showed up at the home of Deb
and Eric Hurwitz for the inaugural
3G (Third Generation) “carrying
the torch forward” event.
3G Membership co-chairs, Deb
Hurwitz and Allison Newman,
made sure that ample wine,
cheese, and refreshments were on
hand and that everyone was made
to feel welcome.
After mingling, the event was
called to order by Deb Hurwitz and
participants had an opportunity to
introduce themselves and tell why
they were there. Answers varied
from being descendants of Holocaust Survivors, to educators who
wanted to learn more about what
we do, to supporters who recognize and understand the importance of our mission. A special
community of shared history came
together in extraordinary and eloquent ways. By the end of the
evening, it was clear that, indeed,
the torch has been passed onto
the next generation and that they
have a vision of how and what
they wish to accomplish.
Allison Newman stated that
when growing up, she never
believed that anti-Semitism ever
happened in this country and
often debated the issue with her
family. Considering the current
environment, however, Newman
is concerned. For these reasons
and more, 3Gs acknowledge
that it is time to step up to perpetuate the mission of Kol Israel,
to educate the greater community, and to raise awareness and
ensure that our children understand their heritage, their legacy,
and above all, their safety.
Elie Wiesel said, “Whoever listens to a witness becomes a
witness.” Kol Israel Foundation
takes these words to heart.
Following Mr. Silberman’s
presentation was a KIF video
presentation made of Survivor,
Ben Nebel, by his daughter Kol
Israel V.P. Ellen Jacob. She has
edited four Survivor testimonial
videos into classroom-length
presentations, enhanced with
archival historic photos as well
as personal photos.
The evening ended with a wrapup brainstorm of what comes
next for 3G and the kinds of programming they wish to develop.
There was also consensus
among the group that there is no
better way to guard against bigotry, racism, and intolerance
than through education — the
mission of Kol Israel.
The group was enamored with
the ever-youthful Leo Silberman,
92, a Holocaust Survivor who
told his story of survival and resilience. Anyone could see what
it means to him to be one of the
last still able to testify before the
next vital generation, which is
ready and willing to propel Kol
Israel and its mission into future
generations.
More photos on back cover.
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2
Annual Fall Memorial Service
Exceeds 300 Attendees
Rabbi Matthew J. Eisenberg of Temple
Israel Ner Tamid of Mayfield Heights delivers the address at the Kol Israel Foundation annual Fall Memorial for victims of the
Holocaust and those who died later.
(Article & photo courtesy CJN)
Holocaust Survivors and their families
gathered at Zion Memorial Park in Bedford Heights on Oct. 9, 2016, for the
55th ceremony to remember the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust and
Survivors who died after the Holocaust.
The annual Fall Memorial for victims of
the Holocaust was co-sponsored by the
Kol Israel Foundation and the Jewish
Federation of Cleveland. More than 300 people attended the program, including 40 who identified
themselves as Holocaust Survivors and gathered for a photo following the program.
Mark Frank, secretary of the Kol Israel Foundation, led a candlelighting ceremony, where Survivors and second and third generation Survivors lit candles to honor those who died. Lighting candles were Stanley Bernath, Cindy Feuer, Art Gelbart, Deborah
Hurwitz, Kol Israel president Anne Lukas, Lee Rosenberg and Bob
Schubach.
Frank announced that the Holocaust monument built
in 1961 by Holocaust Survivors in Cleveland was
one of the first of its kind. The monument will be listed on the “Ohio History Connection.”
“I’m pleased to say our applications have formally been approved and this monument will
officially become an officially recognized historical site,” Frank said. “Along with a special
marker to be erected here in the near future, its existence will be publicized online and in
many other sources, so it may be found easily for those who want to visit.”
Rabbi Matthew J. Eisenberg of Temple Israel Ner Tamid in Mayfield Heights gave the address and led Mourner’s Kaddish. During the address, Eisenberg alluded to the recent
intensification of anti-Semitism on college campuses.
Jill Miller Zimon of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland spoke specifically of the Survivors’
influence on the Cleveland Jewish community.
Avi Goldman, a Vice President of the Kol Israel Foundation, offered remarks, while Michael Hennenberg read a memorial prayer and Charles Gruenspan of B’nai Jeshurun
Congregation in Pepper Pike led attendees in singing “Ani Ma’amin,” “Tehillim” and “Kol
Mole Rachamim.”
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KIF Caregivers Support Group
Support groups for Caregivers are just one of the ways Kol Israel
supports and advocates for the needs of Survivors and their families.
Are you, will you be, or have you been the primary caregiver for a Survivor? While
you are doing a Mitzvah by caring for your loved one, you can get exhausted, overwhelmed, and sometimes even sick as a result. The 24/7 responsibility of providing
care, emotional support, financial, medical, and social assistance can wear on you.
The ups and downs of caregiving are like being on an emotional roller coaster.
Did You Know?
The 7 most common caregiver feelings are...
anger, depression, stress, guilt, worry, sadness, and loneliness.
This Spring, Kol Israel will offer an information– based support group for caregivers lasting six sessions that
can help identify needs and talk about solutions. More information will be provided end of January. Contact us
at [email protected] or call the office at (216) 831-3754 to find out more.
Volunteer for KIF!
Committee members and volunteers are needed for the projects listed below. If
you’re interested, please contact our office at 216-831-3754 or [email protected].

FUNDRAISING: Help us plan, recruit, market our upcoming fundraising
events.

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Help by offering and editing
your family's Holocaust video to share with teachers, schools, community organizations and religious communities. Help with mailings, phone calls to schools and
Internet research.

COMMUNICATIONS: Phone members to get e-mail addresses and updated
contact information. Help with mailings and distribution of flyers.

3G VOLUNTEERS: We have created a list of our own committees, described in this newsletter. If you would like to participate in our meetings, have
ideas for future 3G events, or would like to chair a committee, please contact us
at [email protected], with “3G” in the subject heading.

SPECIAL PROJECTS: Help with behind the scene tasks for events and
programs.
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Membership sign-up now online!
Visit our website, www.kifcle.org, and use the
new Membership Information form to sign up
for FREE membership or to update your contact information.
Follow us on Facebook by going to the
“Kol Israel Foundation, Inc.” page, click “Like”
and get all the latest and greatest news
from Kol Israel!
Donating to KIF is FAST. FUN. EASY!
NEW WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Looking for an In Memoriam, Thank You, or Mazel Tov card?
Look no further!
For your convenience, Kol Israel Foundation is pleased to offer three beautiful and expressive donation greeting cards, designed by Ellen Jacob.
The In Memoriam card features a photo of the historically recognized Kol
Israel Holocaust Memorial, one of the first of its kind, located at Zion Memorial Park in Bedford Heights and features the quote: “May God comfort you
among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem”. The other two are multilingual Thank You and Mazel Tov lettering designs. The multi-purpose Mazel
Tov card is perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, new baby congrats,
Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and more. Your personal message will be included inside
and the back of all cards note that a generous donation has been made.
To order a card, simply go to www.kifcle.org and click on the DONATE button at the top of the homepage or call the office at (216) 831-3754. We will
print your personal message, sign, and mail it for you Simply select $18,
$36, or OTHER amount of donation you wish to make.
Your contributions are 100% deductible under IRS regulations and help us
advance our work of commemorating the victims of the Holocaust, educating future generations and the general public about the dangers of hatred
and intolerance, and advocating for Survivors,
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Transmission of Trauma
Did Holocaust Survivors Pass on Trauma through their Genes
to their Children?
That epigenetics may have particular relevance for the
self-understanding of the Jewish community at large is
an idea that is hardly lost on Dr. Rachel Yehuda,
whose parents are Israeli and who spent a decade
working with Holocaust survivors and their children in
Cleveland.
Through the joint efforts of Kol Israel Foundation and
the CWRU Siegel College of Jewish Learning, leading
international researcher Dr. Yehuda presented compelling research and explained the long- and shortterm effects of trauma on offspring on November 7,
2016.
What is epigenics? Epigenetics refers to the study of
alterations in genes that changes the way they function. An epigenetic mark is literally a change to the
gene or to the DNA environment that will then affect
the way the DNA is read into RNA, and subsequently
how RNA is expressed into a protein.
Many have wondered if the trauma suffered by Holocaust Survivors, or any victims of emotionally and
physically traumatic experiences known as PTSD, can
be passed on to second or even third generation offspring. Fascinating new research in the field of Epigenetics shows that this may be the case to some extent.
Dr. Yehuda started some of her research in Cleveland
25 years ago, studying area Survivors. Coming fullcircle, she returned to Cleveland and spoke to a
packed crowd.
Dr. Rachel Yehuda, the director of the Mental
Health Patient Care Clinic at the Peters Medical
Center, and a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount
Sinai Hospital, is one of the world’s leading experts in post-traumatic stress. In addition to tending to injured minds,Yehuda has used her brilliant
mind and the intuitions drawn from decades of
clinical work to become one of the pioneers of the
emerging field of epigenetics, which seeks to
identify the mechanisms by which traumatic stress
may permanently alter the physiology of survivors
in ways that are passed on to their descendants.
Does our DNA literally become different?
According to her fascinating findings, under the right conditions,
trauma may, in instances of extreme PTSD, be passed onto
offspring, BUT only if the mother OR both parents have had
PTSD (extreme trauma). Also, the age of the mother and the
age of the fetus at the time of stress may increase the occurrence of second-generation trauma. Another interesting finding
was that second-hand trauma CANNOT be passed onto ensuing generations. (3rd & 4th G’s — you are safe!)
Yehuda also noted that growing up with parents who were
changed by their own traumatic experiences is likely to also
have an effect on offspring, different and separate from a PTSD
epigenetic affect. At that point, she says, “It’s not strictly about
changes on genes anymore. You’re dealing with a very complex set of issues that are based on:
what was the child-rearing like;
what were the circumstances like;
and what were the overriding factors?
All of these things combine together to determine whether or
not what you’ve inherited—either genetically or epigenetically
— becomes useful to you as a person. If the environment can
transform you in one way, it can transform you in another way
too. If we make little changes in very important circuits, this can
have a very big impact on health and well-being.”
The idea that those permanent changes may be encoded in us in a way that can be passed onto our children and affect their physiology is a startling idea.
Holocaust Survivor Memorial medallion
As you walk through Zion Memorial Park, you may notice bronze headstone markers on some of the grave
stones. These beautiful markers designate the headstones of individuals who survived the Holocaust.
If you would like to add a Holocaust Memorial marker to
the headstone of a loved one, please call the office at
(216) 831-3754 or email to: [email protected]. The memorial markers are priced at $35.
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Movie night—Defiance
Co-sponsored by Kol Israel Foundation and Mandel JCC, on Sunday, Dec. 11,
more than 70 attendees, including many new faces, gathered at the Mandel JCC
for a private viewing of the movie Defiance — an amazing, true story about human
courage, perseverance, strength, and resilience during the Holocaust. The 2008
film, directed by Edward Zwick, is set during the occupation of Belarus by Nazi
Germany and it is an account of the Bielski Partisans, a group led by Polish Jewish
brothers who saved and recruited Jews in Belarus during WWII. Two members of
the Bielski Partisans, Sam and Ida Zelwin, emigrated to Cleveland after the war
and rebuilt their lives and families. Their three children, Harry, who was born in a
DP camp, Robert, and Ileen were on hand after the movie to field questions and
describe how and what they learned of their parents’ participation in the group and
how they managed to survive and thrive. A GREAT time was had by all!
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Put your gelt where your “Happy Chanukah” is!
NEW! Kol Israel 2016 “Top 10 Greats” Chanukah Card!
Why send a sure-to-spoil fruit basket when you can make a
difference and support Kol Israel Foundation? The back of
the card says:
“A generous donation to Kol Israel Foundation
has been made in your honor.”
Send this light-hearted Chanukah card-gift by going online to
kifcle.org.
Simply click DONATE, fill in the required information, select
the donation amount you wish to make ($18, $36, other) and
we will address and send this beautiful card for you, and
include a personal message if you wish.
inside message: Remembering special people —especially you!
wishing you a holiday filled love and peace in your heart
and throughout the world.
Happy Chanukah
Upcoming Events
Thursday, Jan 12th – Your Story Simply Told
Time- 6:00
Place: TBD
Attention 2nd Generation- we want to hear from you! As part of our future education program, we want to hear
your story. What was it like be a child of Holocaust Survivors? What kind of impact did it make on your adult life?
Natalie Bauman, Founder and CEO of The Digital Mosaic, LLC will demonstrate how the app works and talk
about the process, options and the ease of use. As a member of Kol Israel, there is no charge for these services
due to the generosity of Natalie Bauman.
Sunday, February 5th – Bagels and Books
Time- 11:30
Place: The home of
Sylvia & Roger Kramer
Displaced Persons: Growing Up American After the Holocaust BY: Joseph Berger
24049 Laureldale Road
FACILITATED BY: Sylvia Malcmacher Kramer, D.D.S. AND Rachelle Korland.
Shaker Heights
In this gripping and beautifully written memoir, New York Times reporter Berger tells the story
of his family, Polish Jews and Holocaust survivors, who migrated to New York City in 1950.
The story of such refugees, about 140,000 of whom came to the United States between 1947
and 1953, remains a little-known aspect of Holocaust history. Berger's account is painful at
times, as he recalls his own struggle to belong as both he and his parents fought to
"shoehorn" their way into American life in the 1950s and early 1960s. His childhood
remembrances of simple pleasures like Sunday visits to the bakery, new school supplies
housed in cigar boxes, and the proud excitement of the arrival of the neighborhood's first TV
set will bring smiles to the faces of general readers.
Did someone say Latkes?
Latkes are potato pancakes, perhaps best known
as THE traditional Chanukah
food. These crispy potato
treats symbolize the miracle
of Hanukkah because they
are fried in oil.
6 C. cubed, peeled & grated Gold or Russet potatoes (9-10
med. potatoes)
2 t. freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for frying
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 whole lg. yellow onion
2 t. sea salt
4 T. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
Directions:
Blend all ingredients. Pour by spoonful into hot oil.
Flip and fry so both sides are done. Drain on paper
towels. To serve latkes, layer in 9x13 Pyrex casserole. Cover. Reheat covered at 325 degrees for approximately 15-20 min. Serve with applesauce and/
or sour cream.
KOL ISRAEL FOUNDATION
P.O. Box 22274
Beachwood , OH 44122
Hallie Duchon,
Executive Director
216.831.3754
[email protected]
Kol Israel Foundation is a non-profit organization of
Jewish Holocaust Survivors, their families, and supporters.
Since 1959, Kol Israel has carried on its mission of
advocacy and support for Survivors. It provides meaningful Holocaust education and memorial programs
throughout Northeast Ohio and preserves and shares
the eye-witness narratives of Survivors.
We are proud to announce the newest addition to our Kol Israel family
Sharon Cohen will serve as our new part-time Program Assistant effective immediately. She brings
15 years of experience with the Mandel School of Social Work at Case Western Reserve where she
was the Research Center Administrator and managed several projects, staff, and students, maintained
budgeting and bookkeeping procedures, prepared presentations and served as a liaison between projects and the community. Sharon brings a wealth of experience and values our mission to educate the
community on the dangers of hate, intolerance and bigotry. When Sharon is not at KIF, she volunteers
her time at the ADL. We are so lucky to have Sharon as part of our team! WELCOME SHARON!
INAUGURAL
MEETING
PHOTO GALLERY