AJFCA is thrilled to announce that Eva Kor will begin the 2015 AJFCA Annual Conference as the opening plenary speaker on Sunday, May 5th.
The Triumph of the Human Spirit, from Auschwitz to Forgiveness
Holocaust Survivor, forgiveness advocate, and revered public speaker, Eva Kor, will tell her story of survival and forgiveness. Powered by a never-give-up attitude, Eva has emerged from a trauma-filled childhood as a brilliant example of the human spirit's power to overcome. She is a community leader, champion of human rights, and tireless educator.
Eva Mozes was born in 1934 in the tiny village of Portz, Romania. Eva's father, Alexander and mother, Jaffa had four girls: Edit, Aliz, and the twins Eva and Miriam. Through the first four years of Eva's education, she and Miriam attended a one-room schoolhouse. Though the Mozes family enjoyed a comfortable if rustic living as landowners and farmers, the family lived under the spectre of the Nazi takeover of Germany and the everyday experience of prejudice against the Jews.
When Eva and Miriam were six, their village was occupied by a Hungarian Nazi armed guard. The Mozes family was the only Jewish family in the village. In 1944, after four years' occupation, the family was transported to the regional ghetto in Simleu Silvaniei. Just a few weeks later, they were packed into a cattle car and transported to the Auschwitz death camp.
After 70 hours without food or water, Eva and her family emerged onto the selection platform at Auschwitz. Eva believes no other strip of land in the world has seen as many families ripped apart.
Eva soon realized her father and two older sisters were gone. She never saw them again. Soon after, the girls were forcibly taken from their mother, whom they also never saw again. Eva and Miriam became part of a group of children used as human guinea pigs in genetic experiments under the direction of Dr. Josef Mengele. Approximately 1500 sets of twins-3000 children-were abused, and most died as a result of these experiments. Eva herself became deathly ill, but through sheer determination, she stayed alive and helped Miriam survive.
Eva's message of forgiveness and perseverance will inspire the vision we collectively share; empowering resilient families and stronger communities.
