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Survivors To Visit

Editorial by: Tom Oosterhoudt

Its been about ten years since I befriended our amazing Congresswoman, Ileana Ros-lehtinen. Over that time, there are very few subjects that we have not discussed. A couple of years ago, she, her district chief Debbie Zimmerman and I, were discussing the Jewish community and somehow Ily brought up the fact that many of the Holocaust survivors who are still alive, live in her district, up in the Miami area.

The wheels in my mind started spinning and I asked if we could get them to come to the Keys one day to address the local school children on the horrors on the Nazi attrocities. There is nothing like hearing history from those who were there to witness it all. And since most of the surivors are now in their eighties, they won’t be around much longer to tell their story.

For two years I have pleaded to make this happen. It was almost impossible to coordinate schedules with a busy Congresswoman, a busy school district, and FKCC. But last week I heard from Debbie Zimmerman that its finally going to happen. I was elated after such a long wait.

So on Thursday , March 18th, eight to ten of the Nazi Death Camp survivors begin their tour of the Florida Keys. These Holocaust survivors include: David Mermelstein and his wife, Joe Sachs and his wife, Alex gross and his wife, Alex Moskovic and his wife, herbie Karliner and his wife, David Schaecter and his wife, and possibly, Sam Dubbin too.

The first day they will visit Key Largo School, Plantation Key School, and Treasure Village Montessori School in the morning. Then they will eat lunch with the culinary students at Marathon High School. Then they hope to visit the Marathon Chamber of Commerce and visit some middle Keys Jewish families.

The next day, Friday, March 19th, they will drive to Key West and visit Horace O’Bryant Middle School and Mary Immaculate Star of The Sea Catholic School. Friday evening they will share stories with Rabbi Zucker at the Chabad. Then on Saturday they will visit Rabbi Dudai at Congregation B’Nai Zion. That afternoon there will be a session with the Monroe Youth Challenge Program.

As a lifetime advocate of diversity, I am more than thrilled that local students will be able to hear perhaps one of the most important history lessons of all time from the mouths of real Holocaust survivors. They have an important story to tell and with their advancing age, this may be the last time this happens. These students may be the last to hear from them.

I have had the pleasure of talking to Mr. David Mermelstein on the phone, and he and the group are excited about visiting the Keys. He acknowledges that most of them amy not be around much longer due to their age. I hope that every local group interested will reach out to these amazing folks.

In a way they also give us all hope. As Father John Baker told me, “if they can survive all these years after enduring such horror, there is hope for all of us. None of us will ever know the horror that they had to deal with”. And he’s right, in comparison, our problems are few.

I want to thank our Congresswoman and Debbie Zimmerman for making this finally happen. I know I have been annoying in never shutting up about wanting this to happen. I want to thank them both for listening.

I’d like to ask the local school children to take advantage of this rare opportunity. Look at the survivors faces, check out the tattoos on their hands. It is only by learning from history that we can all make sure that this sort of hate never happens again. And you will all be able to tell your kids, grandkids, and great grandchildren, that you heard this unforgettable story from the actual victims of the Holocaust.

Tom Oosterhoudt
Editor & Publisher

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