The Holocaust Survivors Club at Century Village in Boca Raton had a special treat at its monthly meeting in October when 10 local college students from the Chabad Student Center visited their meeting.
The Boca Raton-based Chabad Student Center serves students at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Lynn University and Palm Beach State College in Boca Raton.
The meeting took place at Temple Beth Shalom in Century Village on Sunday, Oct. 11, with about 60 Century Village Holocaust survivors present.
Rabbi Boruch Shmuel Liberow — co-director of the Chabad Student Center with his wife, Rivka Rochel — said: “We wanted to do some community service so we set up this visit. We wanted our college students to socialize with the Holocaust survivors to hear their stories and learn from them.”
Making the meeting even more special was the Chabad Student Center bringing two of the three Torahs stolen from Eastern European Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust which have recently been brought to Boca Raton.
These three Torahs are part of the 118 Torahs stolen from Eastern European Jews by the Nazis which were recently discovered in Russia.
The Torahs were brought to Boca Raton by the Jewish Heritage Foundation Inc. of Florida — a foundation founded by Boca Raton resident Sibyl Silver and her late husband, Robert — which is using these Torahs for educational purposes and is actively involved in the restoration and return of all the Torahs.
During the meeting, Rabbi Liberow discussed the importance of these Torahs, and the crowd sang and danced with the Torahs in joyous celebration.
Liberow said: “The survivors were so excited to see us. We went from table to table mingling with the survivors and many of them also told their stories of what happened during World War II. It was a great experience for our students.
“Still, the most important part of the day was the Torahs. The Torah connects the Jewish people. The survivors were so moved to get to hold and kiss Torahs that were confiscated by the Nazis. These Torahs send a message that we won — we’re still here and we continue to draw our strength from the Torah.”
The Chabad Student Center students were all very moved by the experience and look forward to visiting this group again for Hanukkah.
FAU student Max Gruby commented: “The event was eye-opening to say the least. I arrived early and spoke one-on-one with a few survivors. One woman shared her experience about a death march she was on. It was heart-wrenching. I asked myself how does one overcome such sorrows?
“I was mind-blown with this woman’s strength and courage which was so evident when speaking with her. She knew what she had survived in the past and that nothing could come close to being as difficult to overcome. Her ability to laugh and joke and smile and dance was truly an inspiration. I watched her tear up as she saw the rescued Torahs for the first time.
“It seemed as if this was more than just rescued Torahs. They were a symbol of redemption and freedom. This was truly an incredible event and I feel very fortunate to have been able to experience it. These are the experiences I vow to share with my children. We will never forget!”
Added Itamar Ben-Avi, president of the FAU Chabad Student Center chapter: “This was truly an incredible event that I was fortunate to be a part of. What the Jewish Heritage Foundation has done and plans to do with the Torahs has inspired me to reaffirm my commitment to the preservation and growth of the Jewish faith.
“What truly amazed me was that these Torahs went through so much, yet all the scrolls were in such great condition. I hope these Torahs continue to serve as a symbol of the resilient strength a person can find when they have faith.”
Said Travis Leader, vice president of the FAU chapter: “It was an amazing experience seeing these Torahs that have so much history and have been brought back to bring so much joy to our people. It was one of the best experiences of my life to be in the presence of these Torahs.”
Moshe Wallach, president of the Lynn Chabad Student Center chapter, said: “The entire experience was so emotional. We got to see how the Holocaust survivors got along with us and with each other. Some were meeting for the first time and some — like one woman and man — were in the same elementary school in Europe. That was incredible.
“These survivors were thrilled and so happy to see the younger generation coming up as future leaders — not only for American Jews but for the state of Israel as well.”
The Chabad Student Center draws from a total population of more than 6,000 Jewish students on campus. For more information about the center, contact Rabbi Liberow at info@chabadstudentcenter.org or 561-827-3175.
