Remembering the survivors By Felice Hannah Rose Ann Darche, North Shore Towers Political Action Committee member, and Dr. Arthur Flug, Executive Director of the Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center and Archives at Queensborough Community College, presented an evening of remembrance and recognition through film and discussion. The event was held at North Shore Towers on Wednesday, November 20. NST represents Robert Ricken, president of the NST Board of Directors, makes a point to the members of the Presidents’ Co-op & Condo Council at its meeting on Saturday, December 14. Present, but not pictured, were Congressmember Steve Israel, State Senator Tony Avella, City Councilmembers Mark Weprin and Peter Vallone and Assemblymember Edward Braunstein. Rita Coelho turns 100 Rita Bel Emanuel was born in the Bronx January 27, 1914. She was the only child and pride and joy of her father, Michael, a traveling salesman and her mother, Sylvia, a dress model. Rita graduated From New York University at the young age of 20. She was voted Miss Far Rockaway, where she and her family spent summers and she worked as a model for Ida Gowns. She married the love of her life, David Coelho, at the age of 23. While Dave developed his dental practice Rita was a full-time mother to her children, Gary and Wendi. Rita devoted her time and energy to B’nai B’rith and ORT for most of those years. After living in Great Neck they moved into North Shore Towers in 1999 and spent winters at The Fountains in Florida. They were married for 74 years until Dave passed away two years ago at the age of 101. Rita is best known for being the poet laureate of North Shore Towers, never missing an opportunity to write the poems for the opening or closing of luncheons. She was an avid golfer and bridge player and now enjoys canasta, crossword puzzles, reading and the Yankees! She will celebrate her 100th birthday at the Towers on the Green on Saturday, January 25, with her children, grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Dr. Flug shared with the audience that as a child he had a great interest in comic books. Comic books, he said, provide a subliminal message to the reader. In 1938 the birth of Superman, the superhero of the 1930-1940s “was an unconscious expression that the immigrant Jew was sending out to the Americans to help those in need.” He compared Superman to Moses — both, he said, from two chaotic worlds. Moses arrives in a basket and Superman in a rocket ship. Dr. Flug uses the same comparative analogies with students at Queensborough Community College when teaching them about the Holocaust. He leads students to understand that although your worlds seem different your struggles to survive are similar. Darche greeted the residents of North Shore Towers who are Holocaust survivors. She asked each of them to share their remembrances. Eva Kessler stated that for many years she was unable to speak about the Holocaust because of the emotions it evoked. “We must tell our children so that the Holocaust will never be repeated,” said Herb Cooper. Larry Wenig, who has had several books published and is former vice-chair of the National Executive Committee of the Zionist Organization of America, shared his family’s struggles and hardships following the German invasion of Poland. Rosa Koren spoke with graphic clarity about her experiences as a young child during the Holocaust. And Lillie Perry concluded that, “We must never allow the Holocaust to be forgotten.” The emotional evening ended with over 100 residents gathering in groups to meet and greet each other on a personal level. Darche and Dr. Flug are planning other events to introduce North Shore Towers residents to The Kuperberg Holocaust Resource Center at Queensborough Community College. Rose Ann Darche, Sylvia Weprin, Dr. Arthur Flug and his assistant Photos Courtesy Felice Hannah Larry Wenig, Rosa Koren, Eva Kessner, Joyce Cooper, Herb Cooper 12 North Shore Towers Courier n January 2014
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