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Many thanks
Jewish Holocaust Centre and Jewish Holocaust Centre Foundation supporters
Our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all our donors and funders – your support continues to allow us to preserve Holocaust memory and teach the important lessons of the Holocaust. Below are donors of $500 and above from January to December 2021.
Dion & Sandy Abrahams Norman Abrams Roseanne Amarant Jeffrey Appel OAM & Sue Appel David Bardas AO Andrew & Natalie Bassat Paul & Sharon Bassat Robert Bassat & Nina Bassat AM Tony & Kate Beacons eld Judy Becher Shilo Ben Zeev & Tamar Paluch Ben Zeev Simon Benjamin Garry & Sigalit Berkovic Sam Berkovic AC & Helen Berkovic Miriam Berman Besen Family Foundation Greg Blashki OAM & Julie Blashki Barry & Lorraine Bloom Norman & Pauline Bloom Joey Borensztajn AM & Julie Borensztajn Philip Brass & Vivien Brass OAM Evelyn Bresner Allen & Marika Brostek Rodney & Vanessa Brott Trevor Brott Hymie & Eva Bugalski Isaac & Marilyn Bugalski Tania Burstin Barry & Suzi Carp Bernard & Helen Carp Michael & Emma Carp George & Freda Castan Richard & Sue Castan Paul Chalmers Jack & Anna Chrapot Trevor Cohen AM & Heather Cohen Emanuel Datt Sid & Elaine Davidoff Ian & Yvonne Davis Jamie & Robyn Davis Peter & Kim de Winter Shirley de Winter Simon & Lisa de Winter Wolf & Asya Deane Michael Debinski OAM Ron & Judy Dodge Gavin & Samantha Dunhill Tim Edmunds Jack Ekstein The Les & Eva Erdi Foundation Shaun & Michelle Factor David & Vanessa Fajnkind Sue Fajnkind Bill Fayman & Susan Glass Ian & Yvonne Fayman Marvin & Barbara Fayman Raf & Rosalie Feldman The Leo & Mina Fink Fund Alan Finkel AC & Elizabeth Finkel AM Ron Finkel AM & Dalia Finkel Joe & Glenda Flinkier Ronit Fraid Joel & Agnes Freeman Alex Freiberg Charles Friedlaender Jack & Evelyn Gance Mark & Judy Gandur Ian & Rita Gelbart Harry & Helen Gelber Jono & Kelly Gelfand Zita Gersh Jacob & Gita Ginger Fred & Robyn Ginsburg Leigh & Yvonne Goldbloom Leon Goldman z”l Graham Goldsmith AO & Deborah Goldsmith Alan Goldstone OAM & Pam Goldstone Hannah Goldstone Colin Golvan AM & Debbie Golvan Tom & Jenny Gorog Jack Gringlas OAM & Dianne Gringlas Robert & Pauline Grodski Allan Grosman & Vicki Davis Phillip & Pauline Grosman Louis & Marilyn Gross Simon & Bella Gurevich S & D Hain Foundation Bernie & Melma Hamersfeld Alex Hampel & Sue Hampel OAM Robert & Betty Hanner Lawrence & Gene Harris Gary & Sue Hearst Michael & Kylie Heine Josef Hellen z”l Henry & Cecilia Foundation Anna Hirsh Charles Holckner OAM Sam & Jacky Hupert Judy Ifergan Paul Ivany & Susie Ivany OAM Barbara Jacob Tom Jacob OAM & Issy Jacob Jennifer Jedwab Vernon & Sandra Jedwab Michael & Danielle Jelinek Jetmaster (VIC) Jayne Josem Benjamin & Sharona Jotkowitz Charles Justin AM & Leah Justin Rodney & Suzanne Kagan Danielle, Joel & Ben Kaufman Ashley Kausman & Lisa Mann Andrew Kaye AM & Judy Kaye Irvin Kaye Joe Kay AM & Yvonne Kay Robert & Ruth Kaye Jared Keen Paul & Emi Keen Leonard & Yael Kipen Michael & Esther Kister Arthur & Marianne Klep sz Ken & Carol Klooger David & Bindy Koadlow Steven Kolt & Frances Prince Bernard & Margaret Korman Larry Kornhauser OAM Alan & Roxanne Kozica Wendy Kozica Joe Krampel AM & Marcia Krampel Ben & Cassie Krasnostein Dan & Lara Krasnostein Dinah Krongold Tom & Lorelle Krulis Barry & Barbara Landau Sally Landman Julie Landvogt Minette Lang Henry Lanzer AM & Janette Lanzer Eva Lawrence Silvana Layton Jonathan & Terri Lazarus Leibovich Foundation Michael Levick Mark & Anna Levin Barry & Estelle Levy Graeme & Mina Levy Rosie Lew AM Bori & Helen Liberman Helen Light Justin Lipson Michael Ludski Howard Machlin Karin MacNab Arnold & Dani Mahemoff Jeffrey Mahemoff AO & Helen Mahemoff OAM Joel & Neda Mahemoff Phillip Maisel OAM Bernie & Joyce Marks & Danielle Davis Sandra Masel Annica Matsson Joe & Gisella Mel Jamie & Elana Melzak Margot Melzak OAM Alan and Rochelle Mendel Debora Mendelson Adam Micmacher Henry Miller & Natalie Miller AO Amelia Mitchell Simon Mochkin Henry & Roslyn Monkus Mark & Den Montag Samantha Mordech Mark Moshinsky & Sidra Kranz
Moshinsky Dennis & Fairlie Nassau The Albert & Lena Newmann
Memorial Trust Leonie Nossbaum Robert & Debbie Nossbaum Barry Novy OAM & Sue Selwyn Luba Olenski Michael & Debra Olenski Raymond & MaryLou Orloff Avi Paluch Sam Parasol OAM & Ruth Parasol Gerald & Lil Pearce Anton Peleg Pincus Family Foundation Norman Pollack JP Jeanne Pratt AC PSN Family Charitable Trust Ian & Sandy Raizon Andrew Rajcher Michael & Judy Raleigh Vaughan & Melanie Raleigh Judy Rassaby Deborah Reed Alan Reid & Elly Brooks Allan & Janet Reid Ralph & Ruth Renard Pauline Rockman OAM John Rogers AM & Margot Rogers Myron & Jennie Rogers Richard Rogers & Roslyn Rogers OAM Annie Rose & Andrew Lazar
Foundation Marcus & Eva Rose
Tom & Judy Rose Jack & Annette Rosen Harry & Viv Rosenberg Julian & Vivien Rosenfeld Greg & Ann Rosshandler Mourice & Ruth Rostkier Michael & Hannah Roth Warren Rozen Henry & Janette Rubin Ron & Cynthia Salter Ronald & Kay Schweitzer Sam & Judy Seigel Leon Serry AM & Viv Serry Greg Shalit & Miriam Faine Lorraine Shapiro James & Leanne Shaw Arnold Shmerling OAM & Lane Shmerling OAM Jack & Lesley Silberscher Barry Singer & Simone Szalmuk-Singer Stephen & Sharron Singer David & Tammie Slade Graham Slade AM & Mary Slade Laurence & Lana Slomoi Michael & Sue Small David Smorgon OAM & Kathie Smorgon The Jack and Robert Smorgon
Families Foundation Rodney & Ann Smorgon The Victor Smorgon
Charitable Fund Ross & Karen Snow Helen Sokolski David Southwick MP & Hayley Southwick Graeme Southwick OAM & Suzanne Southwick Spotlight Foundation Bernie Stone Halina Strnad John & Irene Sutton Theo & Shirley Sweet Geoff Szalmuk Stephen & Debbie Szental Joe Tigel & Sharon Goldfeld Frank Tisher OAM & Miriam Tisher Dan Wald Max Wald OAM & Pebby Wald Victor Wayne & Karen Wayne OAM Sam Webb Bradley & Tami Wein Vivien Wertkin & Harry Hakman David & Alison Wiesenfeld Dennis & Tauba Wilson Colin & Roe Wise Jeffrey Wolinski Anne Wollach-Szalmuk Abe & Marlene Zelwer Braham & Andrea Zilberman Leon & Miriam Zimmet Halina Zylberman
Grants
Helen Macpherson Smith Trust: Department of Education & Training: Gandel Foundation:
Dept of Families, Fairness & Housing: National Library of Australia: Monitoring & Evaluation Framework Teacher Professional Learning Program Teacher Professional Learning Program Hide and Seek Education Program Subsidised workshops for disadvantaged schools Digitisation of survivor testimonies
The Orah Fund: Dept of Families, Fairness & Housing (Multicultural Affairs): Collections Internship International Holocaust Remembrance Day event 2022
Simcha donations
Gita Ginger Kathy Janovic Issy Prince Eva Rose Giselle Trower 70th Birthday 70th Birthday 70th Birthday 70th Birthday Birthday Dean & Gideon Banky Raph Casper Hugo Krasnostein Oliver Rose
We apologise if your name has been omitted. Please contact the Jewish Holocaust Centre on (03) 9598 1825 or admin@jhc.org.au with your details for inclusion in the next listing.
Become a Partner in Remembrance
The Jewish Holocaust Centre Foundation ensures the continued existence of the Centre and supports its important work. Funds raised through the Foundation are invested, with the earnings providing an ongoing source of income for the Centre to support its operations and programs into the future. For more information on how you can help support the Foundation and how your support will be recognised, contact us on: on 0417 323 595 or jhcfoundation@bigpond.com
Phillip Maisel Testimonies Project
The Jewish Holocaust Centre has over 1,300 video testimonies as well as over 200 audio testimonies in its collection. These provide eyewitness accounts of the horrors of the Holocaust, as well as glimpses into the vibrancy of pre-war Jewish life in Europe. The collection is widely used by researchers and students of oral history, the Holocaust and a variety of other disciplines. If you would like to give your testimony or know of someone who is interested in giving a testimony, contact testimonies@jhc.org.au
The following Bnei Mitzvah decided to request donations to the JHC in lieu of gifts. The JHC thanks all our simcha donors and recognises their contribution to keeping the voices of Holocaust survivors alive for generations to come.

Dean and Gideon Banky Oliver Rose

Double the Mitzvah Remembering the Past
Dean and Gideon Banky, identical twins born in Melbourne, recently celebrated their Bar Mitzvah with family and friends. The Bar Mitzvah celebrations started with a call up at Elwood Shule. Thankfully COVID-19 restrictions had eased but unfortunately some family members could not attend. Being twins, they split reading from the Torah and one read the Maftir and Haftorah. The party for family and close friends was held at the Port Melbourne Yacht Club. It was an amazing night with dinner, entertainment for kids and a band that had everyone dancing.
They chose to support the JHC in lieu of gifts for their Bar Mitzvah because they understand the importance of continuing to educate their generation and future generations about the Holocaust, so that it is never forgotten. Having the JHC preserve the memories and stories of our people and families that perished, helps to bring awareness to both Jews and the general community so that it never happens again.
They grew up hearing stories of survival, as well as what it was like for their grandparents being children of Holocaust survivors growing up in a new country. They will have the opportunity to learn more this year when they complete their Roots project. O liver Rose had his Bar Mitzvah last year and, being in Year 7 at the time, had only learnt bits and pieces about the Holocaust at school. His knowledge and connection to the Holocaust has come from being fortunate to have grown up (until recently) with 3 great grandparents who were all Holocaust survivors. After each of his great grandparents sadly passed away, he learnt more about their stories of survival and how lucky he is to be here.
The Bar Mitzvah was held during the only weekend between lockdown 5 and 6. Oliver felt blessed, as if his great-grandfather Zaida Dolek was watching over him. He was a Holocaust survivor, and a religious and traditional man who instilled the importance of tradition in their family. He would have wanted his rst greatgrandson to have been called to the Torah at the bimah on the day of his Bar Mitzvah – instead of reading to tiny boxes from home on Zoom.
During his participation in interschool sports, Oliver felt a sense of antisemitism on the rise. With the loss of the great grandparents’ generation as the primary source of evidence, it is more important than ever to educate other communities on the atrocities of the Holocaust so that it doesn’t happen again.
If you have a simcha coming up and would like to donate to the JHC in lieu of gifts, please contact fundraising@jhc.org.au
Estate gifts
We acknowledge the Jewish Holocaust Centre and Foundation bequestors for their generosity and vision. May their memory be a blessing.
Abraham Benedykt Abram Malewiak Albert & Lena Newmann Anna Mass Anonymous Arnold Hacker Basia Kane Bencjan Rozencwajg Berta Strom Bertha Fekete Bessie Heiman Betty & Rose Rosalky Betty Janover Cecilia Freshman Chaim & Malka Brown Foundation Chaim Feldman Charlotte Lesser Chaskiel Gliksman Chaya Ziskind Claire Weis Don & Sonia Marejn Dr Joseph Brown AO OBE Edith Peer Elizabeth Peer Elza Bernst Emanuel Wajnblum Erika Bence Esther Poelman Eugene Hacker Fania Gitein Geoffrey Tozer Georgette Steinic Gerda Rogers Gitla Borenstein Hadasa Rosenbaum Hana Uberbayn Helen Sharp Henrietta (Kitia) Altman Irene & Ignacy Rozental Ivor Leiser Izabella Krol Jack & Ethel Goldin Foundation Jakob Frenkiel Janina Marcus Jenny Chaenkel John Fox Josef Tyler Joseph Schauf-Dauber Julek & Ada Lipski Kalman & Elka Bajla Parasol Kathe Weisselberg Kurt Lewinski Leslie Klemke Leslie Sandy Lilian Renard Lola Kiven Ludvik Weisz Ludwik & Rita Win eld Magda Horvat Majer (Kopl) Ceprow Marianne Singer Marianne Schwarz Mary Starr Mendel Herszfeld Nona Lee Oskar & Lisa Sokolski Otto Shelton Paul Gere Pearl & Maurice Lubansky Peter Boss Pinek Krystal Pinkus Wiener Raymond Harry Schiller Regina Aldelfang Richard Charlupski Rita Greiner Rivka Knox Romana Frey Ruth Leiser Sabine Jakubowicz Sam Granek Samuel Gnieslaw Samuel Wolf Stopnik Sara Frucht Sara Liebman Sara Smuzyk Shmuel Rosenkranz So a Zitron Sonia Mrocki Sonia Sochodolski Susan Blatman Szmul Rostkier Thea Kimla Victor Muntz Walter Geismar Wilhelm Lermer
Mazal tov
Birthdays
To John Chaskiel OAM on his 92nd birthday To Henri Korn on his 92nd birthday To Abe Goldberg OAM on his 97th birthday To Henry Buch on his 80th birthday To Joe De Haan on his 99th birthday To Lusia Haberfeld on her 90th birthday To Paul Grinwald on his 89th birthday To Guta Goldstein on her 92nd birthday To Kathy Janovic on her 70th birthday To Gita Ginger on her 70th birthday
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
To Mary & Peter Stawski on their grandson Sean’s Bar Mitzvah To Jeanine & Abe Rockawin on their grandson Benjamin Levy’s Bar Mitzvah To Helen & Jeffrey Mahemoff on their grandson Asher’s Bar Mitzvah To Phil & Sue Lewis on their grandson Marley’s Bar Mitzvah To Tova Rubinstein on her grandson Eitan’s Bar Mitzvah To Natalie & Simon Szwarc on their son Ariel’s Bar Mitzvah
Births
To Joe Szwarcberg on the birth of his grandson Kaden Avrahami To Kathy Janovic on the birth of her grandson Ollie Alexander Janovic To John Lamovie & Sue Snyder on the birth of their great-grandchild, Perla Basia Jedwab
Marriages
To Susan Glass on the marriage of her son Asher to Katya To Julie Cohen on her granddaughter’s engagement To Guta Goldstein on the marriage of her granddaughter Yardena Prawer to Samuel Belmonte To Sue and Alex Hampel on the marriage of their son Dean to Gabriel
Condolences
To Joe Szwarcberg and family on the passing of his wife Judy To Rena Urbach on the passing of her mother Eva To Anita Frayman on the passing of her mother-in-law Gizella Frayman To Katy Meltzer on the passing of her mother Vera Dorevitch To Ruth Mushin on the passing of her husband Sam To the family of Ivan Jarny on his passing To the family of Sue Wright on her passing To the family of David Prince on his passing
IN MEMORY OF Ivan Jarny
(1924 — 2021)
Peter Jarny
Our museum community is saddened by the recent passing of Holocaust survivor Ivan Jarny. He devoted many years to educating school students and adults in our museum.
Ivan was born in the small town of Spišská Nová Ves in Czechoslovakia in 1924. By 1938, the Germans annexed Czechoslovakia and their imposing of 250 anti-Jewish laws changed his life. Although the Nazis forced Ivan to leave school, his friend helped him gain employment in a leather goods company making saddles for the Germans, which protected him from deportation.
As conditions worsened for the Jews, Ivan decided it was no longer safe for his family to live in the town. He and his friend sought shelter for themselves and their families in the nearby snowy mountains and eventually found a cave for his family, where they hid in damp conditions with little food and no heat. One day, Ivan came across two Russians hiding in the forest, planning an uprising against the Germans. Ivan joined them, and together with several
Ivan Jarny as a child, and above, as an adult. Courtesy of Ivan Jarny. Ivan, then 95 years old, with Glen Eira City councillors after clearly and powerfully recounting his incredible story of survival in 2019.


other Slovak Jews, formed a partisan group that participated in skirmishes and attacks on German outposts.
Ivan was uent in several languages, including French and Russian. For most of the last few months of the war, he relayed messages between a small company of French soldiers who were encamped on one hilltop, and the Russian army, encamped on a nearby hilltop, with the Germans nestled between the two.
During this time, German soldiers captured his mother and sister, Erica, when they attempted to hide in a nearby village after believing it was safe for them to leave the cave. They were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. Ivan remained with the Russian army until after the war and was reunited with his sister but tragically discovered his mother was murdered in Ravensbrück. Ivan came to Australia in 1949 with his new wife, Julie.
He began volunteering with the JHC in 2017, and will be fondly remembered for his ability to leave audiences captivated by his eloquent stories of survival and bravery in the midst of tyranny. His story-telling and voice will continue to have an impact on many, and will not be forgotten.
At the time of his passing in December 2021, Ivan was survived by his daughter Vivienne, his son Peter, 4 grandchildren and 6 greatgrandchildren. His wife of 67 years Julie, passed away in 2016. His sister Erika, who survived Ravensbrück concentration camp passed away in 2013. If you wish to learn more about Ivan’s survival during the war, look him up on YouTube, where he appears in several interviews.
IN MEMORY OF Susanne Wright
(1930 — 2022)
Eileen Wright
Susanne Maria Friedländer was born in Vienna in 1930 to Gertrude (Trude) and Peter Friedländer. Trude was Catholic and Peter was from an ‘assimilated’ Jewish family. Susanne was brought up Catholic and the Jewishness of her father had no impact on the family until the Anschluss in 1938 after which all family possessions that Trude could not prove were hers, were con scated by the Nazi authorities. Susanne was classed as a Mischling First Degree – having two Jewish grandparents. She was unable to attend high school and experienced ostracism, hurtful taunts and rejection from neighbours and former friends. Her memories of this time were of fear and confusion. Trude tried to protect her, advising her to never cause trouble, always be polite and not react in dif cult situations. She also took Susanne out walking in the Vienna woods to provide relief from the traumas of the Nazi period. This had a profound impact on Susanne in developing a love of nature and the freedom of mountains.
In 1942 Susanne’s father Peter was transported to Izbica Ghetto in Poland. Trude went to the Gestapo to enquire about him and told bluntly to go away ‘or we will arrest you too’. That same terrible year, Peter’s twin brother Paul was sent to Auschwitz and younger brother Alexander to Minsk, where he was killed in a mass shooting. In 1943 Susanne’s maternal grandfather, Rudolf Kroneg, a Catholic, was transported to Auschwitz for assisting Jewish people eeing Austria.
After the war ended, Susanne attended a movie where she saw a newsreel showing bulldozers pushing bodies into a pit. She believed it was at this point that she shut down and repressed her feelings – the thought that it could have been her father, uncles or grandfather in that pile of bodies was too much for her.
Susanne completed school and entered university, obtaining a degree and a doctorate in Agricultural Science. Throughout her university education, Susanne made many friends, some of whom were former soldiers and SS of cers. No one spoke about the war and Susanne did not speak of her family’s experiences.
Susanne and her father
Peter c1937. Susanne c1951 in the Austrian countryside. Susanne 2003.


Susanne travelled to the USA for post-doctoral research and there she met Harry Wright. In 1958, they married in California, at the home of her father’s sister, Betty, the sole surviving Friedländer sibling. Sue and Harry moved to Scotland, England and New Zealand before settling in Melbourne in 1968. Susanne taught high school biology for many years, then moved into teacher education and curriculum development, nally lecturing in Health Education at the University of Melbourne.
Susanne rst visited the Jewish Holocaust Centre in 1999. The survivor guides Sarah, Zosia and Fryda were warm and welcoming, however Susanne only managed 10 minutes before she was in tears and had to leave. She eventually joined the Child Survivors group and, despite struggling with feelings of not belonging, she persevered, and the members made her understand that they didn’t look at difference, but at what they shared – a fractured childhood.
Susanne put her skills to use, developing programmes for the education department and went on to write a book about her childhood experiences; A Ballad by Johannes Brahms. This was a deeply cathartic experience for her.
The Jewish Holocaust Centre was very important to my mother. It was a place where she felt accepted, understood and useful. My deepest respect goes to the founders of the JHC, who knew that a place like this needed to exist. Thank you to all those who accepted and befriended Susanne and who helped with her healing.
Eileen Wright is Susanne’s daughter. She worked at JHC on numerous special projects, including initiating and producing the Eyewitness lm series.
Learning from the past
Elizabeth Crozier
Elizabeth (Libby) Crozier, a former hospital social worker, became interested in the Holocaust after meeting many survivors who were patients. This experience led her to study history at Monash University and, in 2021, she commenced a Masters in History at the University of Paris focusing her thesis on the Holocaust and survivors who came to Australia. We invited her to share her connection with the JHC, and passion for Holocaust knowledge and awareness.
Irst met Holocaust survivors as a young hospital social worker in an area with a large Jewish community, and later, as a case manager when I supported more survivors at home. It was a privilege to hear their testimonies as many of these survivors, some in their mid-90s at the time, would no longer be with us.
I returned to university to study history at Monash, where I was inspired by the teaching of Sue Hampel and the guest lectures of acclaimed Holocaust Historian Professor Christopher Browning.
I rst visited the Jewish Holocaust Centre in early 2019. Holocaust survivor Lusia Haberfeld was talking to school children. I was moved by her story of survival. Lusia survived the Warsaw Ghetto, Majdanek, Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen Belsen. She never forgot her father telling her about doing exactly the opposite of what the Germans told her to do, which saved her on multiple occasions. Lusia spoke of the brave Jewish people who led uprisings. She showed her tattoo given on her arrival at Auschwitz.
She mentioned she spoke weekly out of love for her little brother, father and extended family who were all murdered, driven by a need to educate younger generations not to hate. “If you meet a Holocaust denier, look back on this day and tell them you met someone who was there.” – Lusia Haberfeld

I spoke with Lusia, who signed a copy of her book Lauferin The Runner of Birkenau. I mentioned my grandfather was in the British Army and gave me a hug saying how she remembers the British soldiers liberating Bergen-Belsen.
After this experience, I visited the JHC library often. Julia Reichstein was always very helpful nding material for my research.
These experiences inspired me to commence a Masters in History at the University of Paris in France. My research focuses on Polish Jewish survivors with a connection to Australia. Most academic staff had not met an Australian student before and discussing the Jewish survivor community in Melbourne and the resources available fascinated them.
My French friends have said they studied the world wars in depth at school. The Holocaust was not part of my school curriculum. I know that both my high schools now visit the JHC – I am happy about this change. Education about the Holocaust, particularly for younger people, are steps in ensuring this never happens again.

Statue of Alfred Dreyfus at The Museum of Jewish Art and History, Paris. Lusia Haberfeld Front cover of Lauferin The Runner of Birkenau.