A Miraculous Menorah: A Long Island Family’s Journey from Holocaust Loss to Renewed Light
Edited by: Fern Sidman
Eva Kirshenblatt, a Long Island resident, is experiencing a poignant and miraculous moment this Hanukkah as she lights a special menorah with her family for the first time. As was reported by the New York Post, the menorah holds a profound history, having been a treasured possession of her late father, David Tenenbaum, the sole survivor of his large Polish Jewish family after the Holocaust. The menorah’s story is one of loss, resilience, and, ultimately, rediscovery, the Post report added.
Eva Kirshenblatt grew up listening to her father, David Tenenbaum, share stories about his family’s pre-war menorah. This cherished family heirloom was a wedding gift to his parents in Krasnik, outside Warsaw, 103 years ago, the Post report indicated. Etched with lions and palm trees and adorned in silver, the menorah bore an engraving on the back, marking the date and the family’s name in Hebrew, the Post report added. Tragically, this symbol of familial connection was lost during the Holocaust, along with Tenenbaum’s parents, siblings, and everything else dear to him.
Despite the devastating loss, David Tenenbaum, a small businessman and Holocaust survivor, remained steadfast in his quest to find a replica of the family menorah. Whenever he visited Eastern Europe after the war, he would meticulously search antique shops, never giving up hope of finding a similar menorah, according to the report in the Post. His daughter, Eva, recalls how he “obsessed” over this particular childhood object, always recounting its significance in their family’s history.
In a twist of fate, during a visit to a flea market in Warsaw in the mid-1990s, David Tenenbaum stumbled upon the miraculous find he had been seeking for decades, the Post reported. There, among the treasures, was his family’s menorah – not a mere replica, but the authentic article, complete with the family name engraved on the back. As was reported by the Post, the astonished daughter, Eva, recounted the emotional moment when her father, by some miraculous twist of fate, reunited with the treasured menorah. Negotiating a modest price, Tenenbaum reclaimed a piece of his family’s history that had defied logic and survived against all odds.
Since David Tenenbaum’s passing a decade ago at age 85, Eva Kirshenblatt never had the opportunity to light the menorah with her own family of four. The menorah required a special kind of oil to kindle, making the momentous occasion this Hanukkah even more meaningful. The report in the Post said that as Kirshenblatt and her family light the menorah, they are not only celebrating the Festival of Lights but also honoring a miraculous family history that transcends tragedy and reaffirms the resilience of the human spirit. The menorah, once lost in the darkness of history, now radiates renewed light in a testament to the enduring strength of the Tenenbaum family legacy, as was indicated in the Post report.
As the flames of the menorah flicker, Eva Kirshenblatt feels a deep and profound connection to her late father and the entire family he lost during the Holocaust, the Post report said. David Tenenbaum, the sole survivor of his large Polish Jewish family, endured the horrors of several concentration camps, including Auschwitz. His memories haunted him throughout his life, and he often expressed the importance of never forgetting the atrocities witnessed during those nightmarish times.
The Post reported that Eva recalled her father’s persistent message, a plea that echoed like a broken record: “We can never forget.” Despite the repetition, the sentiment holds immense weight. The family acknowledges and understands the gravity of those words. As was noted in the Post report, David Tenenbaum’s tireless reminder becomes even more poignant this year against the backdrop of the ongoing conflicts in the world.
In the midst of today’s challenges and conflicts, lighting the family menorah becomes Eva’s way of bringing light into a world that often feels helpless. The menorah, once lost in the darkness of history, now radiates a symbolic glow that transcends generations, the report added. It serves as a testament to the enduring strength of the Tenenbaum family legacy and a powerful reminder of the importance of remembering history.
Eva reflects on the profound question of how to move forward while ensuring that the lessons of history are not forgotten. She contemplates the saying, “those who don’t remember history are doomed to repeat it,” recognizing the responsibility to honor the past and safeguard against the recurrence of such atrocities, the report in the Post said.
The flames of the menorah illuminate a path forward, reminding us all of the importance of remembrance, resilience, and the enduring light that can emerge even from the darkest corners of history.
