LEAH (Buimaz) KAUFMAN, M.A. (Jewish Studies)

Elazar Hamodai 6/2, Betar Illit 90500

Tel/fax: +972-2-572-5503 email: morahleah@013.net.il

http://www.liveremembertell.com

The voice of a Hidden Child Survivor of Transnistria

 Life Profile

Born in Hertza (Herţa), Romania, in 1932, after living through unimaginable horrors, Leah Kaufman, at the age of nine and a half, became the sole survivor of her parents and six siblings. In 1948, the Canadian Jewish Congress brought her to Canada where she continued her education, married, raised three sons, and became an exceptionally productive teacher and member of the Jewish community. In 1999 Leah and her husband Mark made aliyah to Israel where Leah is continuing her service to the Jewish community and to her family as grandmother of 22 and great-grandmother of 1.

Educational Background

1975 MA, Jewish Studies, Concordia University, Montreal,
 
1973 BA, History, Loyola University, Montreal
 
1950 Teacher of Hebrew, Yiddish, and Jewish heritage and culture, Hebrew Teachers Seminary, Montreal
 

 Teaching Experience

1983-99
 Ladies’ Shabbat Torah Class, Beth Zion Congregation Montreal
 
1997-99
 Torah class for seniors, Camp B’nai Brith of Montreal Golden Age Association
 
1965-97
 Jewish People and Peretz Parochial Schools, Montreal,
 
1961-68
  Founding Teacher of Beth Zion Junior Congregation, Montreal
 
1954-57
 Young Israel Synagogue Day School, Montreal
 
1985-57
 Young Israel Synagogue Afternoon School, Montreal (Founding Teacher)
 
1958-61
 Jewish Peoples and Peretz Parochial Schools, Montreal
 
1951-53
 Adath Israel, Outremont, Montreal
 
1953-54
 Borochov School, Toronto
 

Committee Member

1999
 Vice President, Association of Romanian Jews
 
1992-99
 Hidden Child Survivors Committee, Education Committee Executive Member,

Board of Governors, Holocaust Memorial Center, Montreal
 
1991
 Met with UN representative of Human Rights Commission in Ottawa as Vice Vice President of Romanian Holocaust Survivors Association
 
1968-76
 Board of Directors, Jewish Peoples and Peretz Schools
 
Honors

2007-
 Lifetime Honorary President, Romanian Survivors of the Holocaust in Transnistria
 
1999
 Outstanding Canadian Holocaust Survivor Lifetime Achievements and Contributions to Canadian Life, Canadian House of Parliament, Ottawa (One of 50 Canadian Holocaust survivors honored on the 50th anniversary of the Human Rights Commission and of the birth of the state of Israel)
 
1998
 Honorary Lifetime Member, Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre
 
1994
 J.J. Segal Award for excellence in Jewish Education, Montreal
 
1993
 Inaugural Eshes Chayil Award, Beth Zion Congregation, Montreal
 
1992
 Torah Award, Beth Zion Congregation, Montreal
 
1986
 Exemplary Contributor to Synagogue Activities, Beth Zion Congregation, Montreal
 

Published

2005
 “Live, Remember, Tell the World” the Story of Leah Kaufman, Hidden Child Survivor of Transnistria, ISBN 1-57819-671-X, Mesorah ArtScroll, on January 27, the same day that Auschwitz was liberated sixty years previously.
 
2007
 Hebrew translation of “Live, Remember, Tell the World”, Mesorah ArtScroll
 

Citations

2007
 ”Leah K., Hiding on the Run: Perspectives of Child Survivors”, “Shards of Memory – Narratives of Holocaust Survival”, Professor Yehudi Lindenman, Praeger, Westport, Connecticut London
 
2006
 ”On behalf of the children who were brutally murdered”, Yated Ne’eman, December 22, (Hebrew daily for the haredi-orthodox community)
 
2005
 “Breaks Her Silence”. Only after 50 years did Leah Kaufman decide to break the wall of silence she had hidden behind all the years.” Mishpacha (Hebrew) weekly magazine, April 21, Issue 700
 
2005
 “Live! Remember! Inspire the World! Mrs. Leah Kaufman fulfills her mother’s last wishes.” Mishpacha (English) weekly magazine, April 13, Issue 53
 
2004
 Report on Mrs. Leah Kaufman’s being key note speaker, to a combined memorial of three Synagogues commemorating Yom Hashoah, Connections (A monthly magazine published in Beth Shemesh, Israel), May
 
2003
 Interviewed by Romanian National TV for a documentary on Leah’s childhood experience during the Holocaust in Rumania and Transnistria
 
2003
 Appears in the documentary “RELENTLESS” reporting on the Infidada from the “Israeli Jerusalem perspective” by Honest Reporting (first edition)
 
2005
 ”The Death March” and readers’ comments, Holocaust Studies section, http://www.aish.com/holocaust/people/The_Death_March.asp
 
2005
 ”Opening My Memory Vault” and readers’ comments, Holocaust Studies section, http://www.aish.com/holocaust/people/Opening_My_Memory_Vault.asp
 
2002
 Supplement published on behalf of Clifton College, Bristol, UK. Re Leah’s speaking on “From near death to life”, The Jewish Chronicle, London, May 10 
 
1997
 Annual Commemoration of “Transnistria the Forgotten Cemetery”, Front Page Interview by Mark Abley, The Montreal Gazette, September 28
 
1995
 Ten survivors interviewed on the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Red Army, The Montreal Gazette, January 28
 
Speaking engagements.

Leah gives her presentations in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and/or Romanian.

Leah has spoken in Montreal and Toronto in Canada, in the United States in New York and also in Memphis where she was keynote speaker for the Jewish Communities Annual Holocaust Memorial Service.

In Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, Synagogues Yeshivot, Seminaries, and hotels, Aish HaTorah, Discovery, Birthright, Israeli Army and Air Force, Safed, Bet Shemesh, and Ashdod.

In June, 2007 Leah was honored as keynote speaker at the 67th annual commemoration of  the Dorohoi pogrom by the Romanian Survivors of the Holocaust in Transnistria

In July, 2007 Leah was jointly brought to London, UK, by the Kinloss Learning Centre, Finchley Synagogue, and by Aish HaTorah, for a speaking tour. Leah spoke in seven Jewish schools. Leah was the keynote speaker on Erev Tisha B’av for Aish HaTorah, and for the Kinloss Learning Centre on Motzaei Tisha B’av.

In 2002 and 2004 Leah was brought to England for two, two weeks speaking tours  

In London, Synagogues, Jewish Schools, and Universities and private homes.

Bristol Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Oxford and Cambridge Universities

Leah has spoken to over150 audiences in Canada, USA, Puerto Rico and England, and to over 350 audiences in Israel.