The loneliness of the long-distance Holocaust survivor
As Israel commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day on Tuesday (April 21) many of its survivors had to mark it separated from families and alone in isolation.
Elias Feinzilberg, a 102-year-old Holocaust survivor, blew kisses to his daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren from his third-floor Jerusalem home, as a siren sounded across Israel to honour those who perished.
(SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ELIAS FEINZILBERG, A 102-YEAR-OLD HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, SAYING:
"It hurts that I cannot see them. And also the family, it is about time that people who have fathers and mothers, who have a big family, will be able to go see them. It is very painful."
Five of his 19 great-grandchildren held up signs, part of a nationwide campaign to show solidarity with Israel's roughly 190,000 Holocaust survivors at this time of lockdown.
Born in Poland in 1917, his immediate family were murdered by the Nazis and Elias was sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, where more than a million Jews were murdered.
He survived and moved with his wife to Israel in 1969 to open a shoe store.
As the siren sounded, his family bowed their heads and then waved to Feinzilberg.
Jenny Brodsky, Feinzilberg's daughter, said her father was dealing with isolation relatively well, adding that this is nothing compared with what he's been through and that he remains an inspiration to them all.
