Today, January 27th, the world pauses to observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a date to reflect upon the most well-known and meticulously documented genocide in history and to re-dedicate our efforts to support the last surviving survivors.

At Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI), our Holocaust Survivors Support Systems division provides social and human services to close to 3,000 low-income, disabled survivors, providing homecare, transportation, homebound visitation, socialization, case management, congregate and home-delivered meals, and access to older adult center programming. Enabling survivors to age gracefully and comfortably is a priority for our team, which offers sensitive, compassionate services that consider the traumas experienced by the survivors.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an opportunity for our staff to fortify their resolve to deliver excellent, life-sustaining services for our survivor client population.

An example of some of the exceptional work that our team does is shared below, a touching illustration of their unparalleled devotion to the Holocaust survivors we are privileged to serve.

As the children danced under her window delightedly, Sara* sighed and drew the curtains closed. Still, the sounds of laughter and singing penetrated her solemn – and now dark – living room. She found herself rubbing the numbers on her arm as she opened the fridge for the third time that day, to stare at the empty shelves again. A knock at the door startled her out of her reverie. Sara greeted her visitor with surprise. It was a volunteer from Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI), at her door to deliver a hot lunch in honor of Chanukah.

Thousands of Holocaust survivors like Sara had a similar experience during the week of Chanukah, the elated recipients of hot meals, delivered through the JCCGCI’s unprecedented outreach effort. More than 2,300 meals were delivered in total, across dozens of neighborhoods in Brooklyn including Boro Park, Williamsburg, Kensington, Crown Heights, Marine Park, Flatbush, Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach, Coney Island, and Gravesend.

Volunteers from JCCGCI were joined by government officials at some of the deliveries, including German Consul General David Gill, Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, Assemblyman Michael Novakhov, and Councilmember Crystal Hudson.

At one home in Marine Park, German Consul General David Gill spoke with Rachel*, who survived Auschwitz at just 17 years old. With the help of her daughter, she described her fight to keep kosher in the concentration camp, even trading her daily soup ration for someone else’s bread, to avoid consuming non-kosher meat.

German Consul General David Gill said, “It was such an honor and a true joy to visit the three Holocaust survivors and some of their loved ones and sharing the joy of Chanukah with them. I felt gifted myself in a very special way. Thank you so much for including me in this wonderful program to deliver a holiday meal and for giving me the chance to get to know these remarkable women. I value our relationship and friendship with JCCGCI and look forward to continuing it.”

In Leah’s* kitchen in Boro Park, Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein remarked on the beauty of her menorah. She explained that the menorah survived the Holocaust, recovered by a family member who went back to Germany and found it buried in the cellar where they’d left it.

Assemblyman Eichenstein said, “I joined JCCGCI in delivering hot nourishing meals to Holocaust survivors throughout our community. We celebrated Chanukah by listening to their stories of triumph over evil and faith over adversity. Our survivors are out greatest inspiration.”

At her modest home in Gravesend, Miriam* invited Assemblyman Michael Novakhov to sit on her sofa. That sofa, along with all of the furniture in her house, was donated by kind neighbors, because she has no family and almost no money. She is almost entirely blind, and struggled to hear his responses because she’s lost most of her hearing, but, as she explained, she can’t even afford hearing aids.

Assemblyman Novakhov said, “It was an absolute privilege to join JCCGCI to deliver fresh meals and speak with Holocaust survivors within my district. It was a moving experience and I thank JCCGCI for allowing me to join this afternoon.”

In Crown Heights, Hadassah embraced Councilmember Crystal Hudson. She shared the story of her youth in Leningrad, Russia, and described her experiences as a teen during the War, helping her father rescue more than 100 young Jewish children in France.

Councilmember Hudson, who is Chair of the City Council’s Committee on the Aging, said, “What an honor and a privilege it was to wish Mrs. Carlebach and Rabbi and Mrs. Chaikin a very happy Chanukah. As Holocaust survivors, they receive critical services from JCCGCI – thank you Rabbi Wiener (Executive Director of JCCGCI)!”

Like thousands of their fellow Holocaust survivors, Rachel, Leah, Miriam, and Hadassah are a living piece of history, sharing their stories so that their memories will survive them.

Each of the survivors who received these hot Chanukah meals is a client of JCCGCI, receiving an array of free services that includes homecare, transportation, case management, friendly visiting, and home-delivered meals.

Rabbi Moshe Wiener, Executive Director of JCCGCI, said, “The enormous undertaking of providing hot meals to thousands of Holocaust survivors across the borough would not have been possible but for our dedicated staff and generous donors. In particular, Hudi Falik, JCCGCI’s Director of Holocaust Survivor Support Systems, Zehava Birman Wallace, Case Management Supervisor of JCCGCI Holocaust Survivor Support Systems, and Daniella Russ, Transportation Administrative Coordinator of JCCGCI’s Senior Transportation Program were unwavering in their firm desire to brighten Chanukah for the many Holocaust survivor clients we serve. Holidays can be a painful time for older adults, especially those who have experienced so much trauma in their lives. This week-long endeavor brought light where there is darkness, ensuring that none of our survivors feel forgotten or alone during a time of fervent celebration. JCCGCI is privileged to help thousands of Holocaust survivors every year, providing much-needed services to the generation that taught us perseverance, courage, and strength.”

*Names have been changed to protect privacy.