Alice Tenenbaum--a holocaust survivor who was dear to me

[Dr. Richard Grossman]

Hi everybody,

Some of you, like me, may have grown up with holocaust survivors.  Below is the recent obituary of one of the dear people I was fortunate enough to know.  My parents were friends with Alice and Sol Tenenbaum, and I worked for Sol’s small computer/data firm (Aero-Data--an offshoot of Grumman) when I was in high school and college.  I remember travelling down to Washington, D.C. with Alice and Sol for work, and I will always remember Alice fondly.


"Alice Tenenbaum passed away on November 3 (2018) and was born on April 22,1930 in what was then Czechoslovakia. Her large, close-knit family enjoyed wealth and privilege, but that was torn away from her at age 14, when she and her family were shipped to Auschwitz. Of the twenty close family members who went with her to the concentration camp, only she and her mother survived Auschwitz and the death march to Bergen Belsen.

After World War II, Alice lived briefly in Sweden and then she and her mother traveled to America penniless to start life anew. At age 20, she married Sol Tenenbaum and they remained happily married until his death in 1997.

Although Alice never finished middle school, she managed to convince Hofstra University to admit her. While raising her family, Alice earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Hofstra University. She was an art teacher at East Northport Middle School on Long Island for more than 20 years. She was also an accomplished artist and sculptor.

Alice was fluent in 8 languages and enjoyed fashion and design. She traveled the world, visiting six continents, and enjoyed playing tennis and skiing. During her active retirement, Alice was a docent at the Museum of Jewish Heritage and gave lectures about the Holocaust at conferences and for school groups. She was the inspiration for a book and was featured in two documentaries.

May she be remembered for all the lives she touched, including her friends, students, many admirers, and especially her family. Alice is survived by her three daughters, Evelyn, Judy, and Nancy Tenenbaum, her three sons in law, Howard Zwickel, Jay Damashek, and Jeff Levine, and her four grandchildren, Joanna and Karen Zwickel and Max and Jordan Damashek.

Her family has requested that you consider a donation on her behalf to the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City."

Richard

[Hopalong]

Ohh, doc G. Thank you for sharing this story.
I lived for several years in an orthodox Jewish section of Baltimore, and saw not a few older folks with those chilling, fading tattoos on their arms.

When I realize that today there are those willing to dismiss it all, I weep for everyone. Never forget. And we must know if we don't stand up for the [Jew, immigrant, woman, child, black person, foreigner, elderly person, Native American, Muslim. disabled person].....

She was an extraordinary woman. How she rallied enough to build a meaningful AND enjoyable life is something I"ll never understand, but will always admire.

I'm sorry you have lost her but glad they were a big part of your life.

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

It sounds like Alice Tenenbaum was one of the finest examples of humankind.  I'm glad you were blessed to know these amazing people. 
 
Thanks for sharing this on the board, Doc.

Lighter

 

[Dr. Richard Grossman]

Hi Hops and Lighter,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful responses.  Alice was a very special person who survived and helped others through some of the worst that the world has to offer.

It was an honor to know her. 

Richard

[Twoapenny]

Dr G, I'm so sorry for your loss and my goodness, she sounds like a truly formidable woman.  Reading of people whose entire families were destroyed just tugs at my soul, and to then see the surviving members carry on and live such remarkable lives is truly astonishing.  I'm very glad that she had a happy and fulfilled life after such tragedy early on.  I'm very glad that you were able to know her.

Love,

Tupp xx

[Dr. Richard Grossman]

Hi Tupp,

Thanks so much for your post.  It meant a lot to me.  It is unspeakable what went on and what still goes on, especially given the recent rise of nationalism throughout the world.  Which group(s) will be next?  Alice managed to brave the worst of it and teach people about the potential pain and suffering.

Richard

[Twoapenny]

Hi Tupp,

Thanks so much for your post.  It meant a lot to me.  It is unspeakable what went on and what still goes on, especially given the recent rise of nationalism throughout the world.  Which group(s) will be next?  Alice managed to brave the worst of it and teach people about the potential pain and suffering.

Richard

I am horrified on a daily basis at the things people will do to each other.  Momentary losses of control or madness are one of those things that are an unfortunate part of being human and will always happen, I think, but the concentrated efforts of some to foster hatred and intolerance, wherever it comes from, just make me so sad.  I find it astonishing that we are such a varied species and can have some who do such great things and some who do such terrible ones.  Watching history repeat itself in so many ways and so many times makes me wonder at our inability to learn and look for a better way, but people like Alice give hope.  It's always astonishing to read those sort of accounts and then to see people do so much for others.  Having that kind of selflessness always amazes me.  It's perfectly possible (and understandable) to hide in a shell to protect yourself when you've been through so much, so to see people turn that around and go on to help other people and achieve such great things is always amazing.  I'm very glad you were able to know her xx