There is no more moving way than the way you chose to commemorate her name and memory in this project.
Dearest Ella,
Mazal tov to you, your parents, your brother, your grandmas and grandpas.
I was very happy to meet you at my home and that you wish to commemorate my sister Ruth. For your Bat Mitzvah, you have chosen a project to remember a young girl of about your age who perished in the Holocaust and I was so pleased that you chose my sister. You have invested so many hours, thoughts and emotions in your journey discovering information about my sister, and through your research you found me and my address.
There is no more moving way than the way you chose to commemorate her name and memory in this project.
I would like to tell you a little about my sister:
My sister Ruth was born on 25 November, 1919 in Leipzig, Germany. She was three years younger than me. I remember to this day the night she was born. That night they took me to a neighbour to look after me. My mother gave birth to Ruth in our home.
Our father was a cantor in the synagogue, and because of this the family was well respected. Due to his profession, we wandered through several villages and small towns until we finally reached Bamberg. In addition to his role as a cantor my father also prepared the local boys for their Bar Mitzvahs. And so, my sister and I used to sit behind the door, on the floor, like two little mice, and listen to the lessons. We always knew the sermons before the boys had even finished their studies.
My sister Ruth and I used to do many things together: we made surprises for Chanukah, we used to knit small wool caps to keep warm the cooked eggs and cloths to hold the pots and pans; we created colourful bookmarks for books and lots of other stuff. We made all these things quietly as a surprise for our parents. I remember that Ruth’s favourite food was potato latkes which my mother used to prepare for Chanukah.
My sister Ruth was a beautiful girl with two long thick braids, big blue eyes and a shy, heartwarming smile. She was lean and tall and a good athlete and was very good at running, the high jump and long jump.
My sister Ruth joined the ‘HaBonim’ movement after I had been there for several years. We used to go on bicycle trips between the various villages all around, and sometimes we ended our trips by swimming in the ‘Regnitz’ river.
In 1938, when I finished high school, I decided to emigrate to the Land of Israel. I was only 16 years old. Ruth was 13. The whole family travelled with me by train to Munich. We spent one
night together in a hotel and the next morning we went together to the port. We said our goodbyes in front of the ship. There was no sadness at that time. My father promised that we would meet again the following year in the Land of Israel and we would all live together. I boarded the ship and my parents and sister went back to Bamberg.
I couldn’t imagine that this was the last time I would see my parents and sister.
I recently learned that later on, during the war, my mother and sister were separated from my father. My mother and sister were killed in Riga. My father passed through several concentration camps and died towards the end of the war in Auschwitz.
I live in Israel, in Kibbutz Giv’at Brenner. I got married and have a big, beautiful family. I called my second daughter Ruth.
Ella, the project you chose to engage in is so touching to my heart. I know it’s not easy for a young girl your age to deal with such a painful issue, and I appreciate that a lot.
The thought that someone in our world is creating that kind of ‘memorial’ for my sister, talking about her, following her footsteps in the not so many years she lived, writing about her and perpetuating her – is a comfort to me and brings me calm.
Ella, I wish you health and that you should have happiness and fulfilment without the worry of wars.
I wish you that all your dreams come true and I hope that you will have a large and loving family.
Once again, I wish you a happy and fulfilling life and of course thank you for remembering the name and the soul of my sister Ruth.
Yours, Judith Shafir.