At Jewish Senior Life, I am reminded daily that with aging comes wisdom, tolerance, acceptance, and change. Aging teaches us to handle complexity and to see that strength and vulnerability often coexist. For JSL’s Holocaust Survivors, aging is not just the passage of time but a testament to endurance. Each year lived is an act of quiet defiance against hatred. Survivors’ stories remind us that growing older is not about fading away. It’s about shouldering the hardships and the lessons of the past with grace and courage.
Last Sunday, hundreds gathered for the Zekelman Holocaust Center benefit on the anniversary of Kristallnacht, for an evening honoring Zina Kramer and remembering her late husband, Michael. Together they devoted decades to strengthening the Detroit community. Former Governor Jim Blanchard introduced the honoree, and many others spoke of Zina’s strength, inherited from her parents, Harold and Sylvia Perlman who survived the Kovno Ghetto, risking everything to escape as the Nazis prepared to burn it to the ground. They later came to Detroit with nothing but determination and love. Zina said she celebrates the day they arrived in America as her second birthday, the day her future became possible. Her story shows that resilience is more than survival; it’s choosing to work in community, to create, engage, and uplift others. Zina is an inspiration.
The Survivors’ presence at the Benefit brought profound depth to the evening, a reminder that the Holocaust is not simply history, but also the memories carried in the hearts of those still with us. The evening’s reflection deepened with remarks from brilliant keynote speaker, Deborah Lipstadt, who until recently was the United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism appointed by former President Biden. Ambassador Lipstadt spoke about identity, visibility, and the importance of not shrinking from fear and immense challenges. She said as she grew older and her education in Jewish history deepened, she began wearing her Star of David more openly. With the rise of antisemitism, I want to say: Here I am. This is who I am.” We learn from her that visibility is not simply symbolic. It’s an expression of strength. Many other brave people echo this sentiment. Lipstadt explained: “I’m not going to hide. I’m not going to allow myself to disappear. I want to challenge other good people to stand up and say no.”
During the evening, Survivors and their families were asked to stand to be recognized. They rose, dignified, resilient, and their presence strengthened us. They didn’t endure what they endured so that future generations would live in fear or silence. To honor them is to stand up visibly as Jews. After the applause faded, I was aware of a sacred stillness in the room. Their memory is both an inheritance and a responsibility.
As we walked out into the cold and snowy night, I thought of the stories Zina told about her parents and family, and all who endured. These remind us that resilience is not a chapter of history. It’s a living legacy. I’m reminded that aging itself is an expression of resilience. With each passing year, we carry our experiences, memories, and wisdom. For Survivors, aging is not merely survival but an ongoing choice to live with purpose and to bear witness. For those of us privileged to walk beside them, aging offers the chance to deepen our understanding, grow in compassion, and honor the legacy they entrust to us.
Every stage of life becomes a bridge between memory and hope, and resilience only grows stronger with time. May the light of Shabbat guide us from memory to hope, from endurance to peace.
Shabbat Shalom