Jacob J. Holocaust testimony

Videotape testimony of Jacob J., who was born in Derecske, Hungary in 1933 to a prominent rabbinic family. He recounts his father's rabbinic position in Szeged; antisemitic harassment; harboring Jewish refugees fleeing to Yugoslavia; German invasion in March 1944; ghettoization; the birth of a child in the synagogue; smuggling diapers for the baby; deportation with his family; removal from the transport in Budapest; placement with a group (the Kasztner transport) which included his father's sister; transport to Celle, stopping in Linz for disinfection; walking to Bergen-Belsen; meager rations, poor sanitation, and frequent roll calls, despite privileged treatment as members of the Kasztner group; organized high holiday services in their group; departure of part of the group in August, then, in winter, the remaining members going to Swiss refugee camps; living in Saint Gall, then in an orphanage with his sister (his younger brother stayed with his parents); his bar mitzvah in 1946; joining his parents in Les Avants; emigration to the United States in 1947 from Livorno, Italy; attending yeshiva; and founding his own yeshiva. Rabbi J. discusses continuing anxiety resulting from his experiences and efforts to honor Rudolf Kasztner, including visiting his children and grave in Israel. He shows documents.

2 videocassettes