High Gear November 28 2016
Posted by Rosalie McCloud on Nov 30, 2016
Truth be told, it was a gloomy day as we approached Ye Olde Hilton. The post-Thanksgiving group of Rotarians were nothing but cheerful and ready for the Holidays to continue and culminate as 2017. No more Ye Olde Hilton after December 5. Must we leave Mynor behind?
Welcome back, President Stan! Stan has been exploring the eastern part of the United States in the advancing winter. Anyway, glad he’s back and thawed. Stan called the meeting to order at the stroke of 12:15.
PLEDGE AND INVOCATION
Ricardo Ortiz led The Pledge, and Dick Gregory delivered an excellent invocation. The first word of The Pledge was good, too, Ricardo.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests of the Club
Guests of the Club, and accompanying our speaker Helen Farkas, were Rabbi Dan Feder of the reform synagogue in Burlingame, Peninsula Temple Shalom. Also with Mrs. Farkas was Jim McGary, Founder of The Helen Farkas Center for the study of The Holocaust in Catholic Schools, currently at Notre Dame Da Namur University as Director of The Sr. Dorothy Stang Center).
Introduced by Vidal Graupera was Ilya Lipovich, Co-Founder, Cider. Unknown what that is, but the card is pretty, has a partially consumed glass of cider depicted(presumably). Check it out at www.getcider.com.
Bob Doerr introduced James Johnson. Mary Murphy introduced her best friend and sister Irene, visiting from across the pond.
Your Title here
Foundation Chair Bill Tiedeman presented Marilyn Orr with her fourth Paul Harris award.
President Stan reminded that our Holiday Luncheon will be held on Friday, December 12 at Sapore Italiano Ristorante 1447 Burlingame Avenue. Included for the attractive price of $40.00 per person will be wine during and tiramisu for dessert.
Among us for the third meeting in a row was our own Jordana Peil. Maybe she’s here to stay; we all hope so.
Again, the December 5 meeting marks our last Monday Rotary Lunch at the San Francisco International Airport Bayfront. We will take many fond memories of people, events, and many years of Rotary Club of Burlingame.
Cheri Carr shared with us her family Thanksgiving, and the family’s first without the head of the family, our friend and long-term member Dave Carr. It was a beautiful celebration and thanks for Dave’s life and his time among us.
Program
We were honored to have Helen Farkas as our speaker today. Helen Farkas is Past President of Shelters for Israel, a charter member of the Holocaust Museum of Washington, D.C, a board member of the Holocaust Center of Northern California, and a member of Hadassah, the American Women’s O.R.T., and the Jewish Community Federation. She lectures widely on her experiences and memories of the Holocaust
Helen was heard to say she is 96 years old. Beautiful, strong, and still sharing her experiences as she pledged to do over a half century ago. Helen was a young girl in love with the man who would become her partner of sixty-three years. Life was golden. She was part of a large, loving family.
September 1, 1939 brought the outbreak of the German assaults in Eastern Europe. Next, the Germans looked toward its Western Neighbors. In 1941 they got within twenty miles of Moscow.
The captured countries served the German cause, but there was no place for Jews. Jews were not determined to be useful. The Jews reached out to each other; being alone was being lost.
It began with the Jews being required to register. Then, they were rounded up. Freedom of Speech ended. After Kristallnacht in 1940, it was clear what was happening. Between 1940 and 1944, radios were confiscated; no longer could the Jews listen to Voice of America.
Horrible! Horrible! Horrible! It can’t be true. They’re taking Jews to ghettos “ for protection.” Willful cruelty, hatred, and genocide began.
Young women longed to be married, to live their lives as families, with children. Yet, they had to prepare to go. No pets, three and four families living in impossibly close conditions. In 1942, the men were sent to work camps; the gendarmes circled. When there was work for women, the women were frisked, with any jewelry, money, or other valuables seized.
Soon, thirst became more painful than hunger. There was constant crying and terror.
When they arrived at Auschwitz, they saw a beautiful, modern factory building, emitting smoke. There was a terrifying noise.
Six to eight men prisoners were ordered to push the captives along. Old people and children were stumbling and falling. Helen’s sister was carrying her two-year-old. Dr. Joseph Mengele ordered that the child be pulled from the mother, Helen’s sister. There were dogs approaching. They separated the strong from the weak; the strong to the right, the weak directed left. GOD! WHERE ARE YOU?
Upon arrival at Auschwitz there was no food or water for three days. There were no baths. They were directed to dress in rags that had been used for this purpose for six years. The nights were bitterly cold and the days hot.
Among the 30,000 prisoners, Helen located another sister and a niece who suffered from a shortened leg. The condition was carefully hidden from the guards lest the girl be found to be unsuitable to live. All were encouraged to stand straight and strong, to appear healthy, and to pinch their cheeks for color.
As soon as she was free, Helen pledged: “If I shall remain alive, I will shout to the world. I will stay as long as God wills. They must know what happened.”
Helen survived to enjoy 63 years with her beloved Joe, and kept her pledge to let the world know!!!!! She continues this work today.
Helen’s book is “Remember The Holocaust,” was printed by Fithian Press, Post Office Box 1525, Santa Barbara,CA 93102.
President Stan said “There are no words to express our thanks and amazement…’
Thank you, Helen, for your beautiful life, and for sharing with Rotary.
Dates to Remember
December 5 “We’re Going Away” Party San Francisco Airport Bayfront Hilton
December 12 Buon Natale at Sapore Italiano Ristorante, Burlingame Rotary Celebrates the Holidays with wine and tiramisu.