Barbara Cohen
Barbara (Schechter) Cohen was born in Bukaczowce, Poland (now part of Ukraine) in 1941. When Barbara was a baby, she and her parents were sent to live in a ghetto. They were able to escape with false papers and were hidden by a non-Jewish farmer in the area. Because she had blond hair and blue eyes, Barbara’s mother was able to pass as German and took Barbara to Germany where they stayed during the war. They ended up in a Displaced Persons Camp in Stuttgart, where they were reunited with Barbara’s father. The family arrived in New York in 1946 as refugees.
“In the survivor community, one of our fears is that we don’t want to be forgotten. We want our children to remember the legacy, where they came from, that we are survivors, that we are strong people.”
More Survivor Stories
Irene Miller
Irene Miller was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1932. When Germany invaded Poland, Irene’s family tried to flee to the Soviet Union and was stranded for several weeks in “no…
Edward Malinowski
Edward Malinowski (Mersyk) was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1939. His family lived on a street that became part of the Warsaw ghetto. When Edward was 4 years old, he…
Survivor Talk Sundays
Join us on Sundays at 12pm to hear first-hand accounts from Holocaust survivors that now live in Michigan.
Closed for Our Annual Member Thank You Event
The Zekelman Holocaust Center will be closed on Sunday, May 18, to host our annual event to thank members for their continued support. To attend “Pieces of a Man,” a…
Closed for New Year
The Zekelman Holocaust Center will close early on Wednesday, December 31, and Thursday, January 1, for the New Year holiday. Regular operating hours will resume on Friday, January 2, at…
Closed for Christmas
The Zekelman Holocaust Center will close on Wednesday, December 24, and Thursday, December 25, for the Christmas Eve and Christmas holidays. Regular operating hours will resume on Friday, December 26,…
Closed for Thanksgiving
The Zekelman Holocaust Center will close on Thursday, November 27, and Friday, November 28, for Thanksgiving. Regular operating hours will resume on Sunday, November 30, at 9:30 AM.
Early Close for the 41st Anniversary Benefit
The Zekelman Holocaust Center will close early on Sunday, November 9, for the 41st Anniversary Benefit Regular operating hours will resume on Monday, November 10, at 9:30 AM.
Closed for Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
The Zekelman Holocaust Center will close early on Monday, October 13, and remain closed through Wednesday, October 15, for the Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah holidays. Regular operating hours will…
Closed for Sukkot
The Zekelman Holocaust Center will close early on Monday, October 6, and remain closed through Wednesday, October 8, for Sukkot. Regular operating hours will resume on Thursday, October 9, at…
Closed for Yom Kippur
The Zekelman Holocaust Center will close early on Wednesday, October 1, and remain closed through Thursday, October 2, for Yom Kippur. Regular operating hours will resume on Friday, October 3,…