Rachel's Story
My name is Rachel. I am 18 years old from Cherry Hill, NJ, and I just graduated from high school. Since I was little, I was always surrounded by Judaism. My parents would take me to Synagogue, they sent me to a Jewish preschool and kindergarten, we always kept kosher, and we sang songs in Hebrew. Since then, I went to Hebrew School, Hebrew High, and worked as a teacher’s assistant in my Synagogue. Being surrounded with Jewish events and other Jewish teens was and is always so important to me.
During my years in Middle School, I had my Bat-Mitzvah and started to become active in Kadima. I went to a Jewish sleep-a-way camp called Camp Ramah in the Poconos, and when I got to High School, I became extremely active in USY. This was a way for me to connect to my religion. I was lucky enough to go to Israel twice, once with my synagogue and once with USY L’Takayn Olam Israel Pilgrimage. I also was extremely lucky to go on USY On Wheels Pacific Northwest. I was able to meet different Jewish teens from around the country on both trips. We all had a connection, and it brought us together.
During these past few years, I have gone to a Holocaust museum in Washington, DC and in Israel. I have also taken a Holocaust class at my school. It is always so emotional for me. I learned about my family’s history when I was young, and I have continued to learn about it as I grow up. Knowing what my family had to go through just to survive brings tears to my eyes. My father’s whole family survived. My Aunt is a child of the Holocaust, and she is the only one still living. She does not like to talk about it and tries to avoid the subject if it is ever brought up. My Grandfather, who passed away when I was a baby, talked about it a little and so did my Grandmother. We were lucky enough to film them giving their testimonies. I learned so much about their experience. It is something that you cannot learn just by taking a class or going to a Museum.
In a way, I feel lucky to have my Grandparents and Aunt be Holocaust survivors. It makes me look at this event in a much more personal level. Not everyone has that opportunity to really connect. And it makes me want to continue practicing my religion. I am excited to be attending Rutgers University this year and become active in their Hillel. Jewish life on campus was extremely crucial to me in picking a college. I would like to minor in Jewish/Holocaust studies, and my sister is thinking about majoring in it. We both think it is important to keep the teaching of The Holocaust alive so people never forget about it. The number of survivors is dwindling down each year, and soon nobody will be left to tell their stories. It is up to our generation to record their stories and use them to teach others.
I will always be grateful that my family made it out of the Concentration camps and survived. Without them, I would not be here with such an incredible family with such an amazing background.
Ehrenberg, Rachel. Personal Interview. 11 Aug. 2014.
During my years in Middle School, I had my Bat-Mitzvah and started to become active in Kadima. I went to a Jewish sleep-a-way camp called Camp Ramah in the Poconos, and when I got to High School, I became extremely active in USY. This was a way for me to connect to my religion. I was lucky enough to go to Israel twice, once with my synagogue and once with USY L’Takayn Olam Israel Pilgrimage. I also was extremely lucky to go on USY On Wheels Pacific Northwest. I was able to meet different Jewish teens from around the country on both trips. We all had a connection, and it brought us together.
During these past few years, I have gone to a Holocaust museum in Washington, DC and in Israel. I have also taken a Holocaust class at my school. It is always so emotional for me. I learned about my family’s history when I was young, and I have continued to learn about it as I grow up. Knowing what my family had to go through just to survive brings tears to my eyes. My father’s whole family survived. My Aunt is a child of the Holocaust, and she is the only one still living. She does not like to talk about it and tries to avoid the subject if it is ever brought up. My Grandfather, who passed away when I was a baby, talked about it a little and so did my Grandmother. We were lucky enough to film them giving their testimonies. I learned so much about their experience. It is something that you cannot learn just by taking a class or going to a Museum.
In a way, I feel lucky to have my Grandparents and Aunt be Holocaust survivors. It makes me look at this event in a much more personal level. Not everyone has that opportunity to really connect. And it makes me want to continue practicing my religion. I am excited to be attending Rutgers University this year and become active in their Hillel. Jewish life on campus was extremely crucial to me in picking a college. I would like to minor in Jewish/Holocaust studies, and my sister is thinking about majoring in it. We both think it is important to keep the teaching of The Holocaust alive so people never forget about it. The number of survivors is dwindling down each year, and soon nobody will be left to tell their stories. It is up to our generation to record their stories and use them to teach others.
I will always be grateful that my family made it out of the Concentration camps and survived. Without them, I would not be here with such an incredible family with such an amazing background.
Ehrenberg, Rachel. Personal Interview. 11 Aug. 2014.