Sarah and Abraham’s children, Part 2
The continuation of Avraham and Sarah Laub’s journey with their “children” focuses on preparations for immigration to Israel
At the end of the war Sarah and Avraham return with their “children” to Poland looking for the children’s relatives.
According to Sarah, “we came to the city of Opole in Poland where we made contact with aliyah emissaries from Hashomer Hatza’ir, who began to hold educational activities for children, Hebrew study and the study of Jewish culture, in preparation for their immigration to Israel. The Polish children continued on the train to the Otwock Children’s Home in Warsaw. We began telling the Jewish chldren about the existence of the Land of Israel.”
Hashomer Hatza’ir emissaries in Opole and the children engaged in educational activity.
However, though the war had ended, Polish anti-Semitism had not. In the city of Kielce a pogrom took place that was aimed at the Jews who had returned to Poland. Aliyah activists decided to move the children out of Poland, and they were smuggled first to Czechoslovakia, and then to displaced persons camps in Germany.
In the photo: Counselors for children in the Dornstadt displaced persons camp in Germany, with aliyah emissary Anda Amir-Pinkerfeld.
Refugees at the Dornstadt camp prepare to immigrate to the Land of Israel.
The joy of those in the Dornstadt camp who planned to immigrate to the Land of Israel. Many never got there because of the British blockade of Palestine.
The emissaries from the Land of Israel placed Dornstadt camp children in groups with Hebrew names. Photo: The “Kibbutz Geulim” group.
The Fahrenwald displaced persons camp in Germany. Mapam leader Meir Ya’ari came from the Land of Israel to meet Hashomer Hatza’ir members who survived the Holocaust. Sarah recalled the meeting as very moving.
Assembly in honor of Mapam leader Meir Ya’ari, the guest from the Land of Israel.
Sarah and Avraham take the children to Schwebda palace in Germany, where aliyah emissaries from the Land of Israel set up a Hebrew school to teach children Jewish culture.
In the photo: Counselor staff in Schwebda, including housemother Nessia Orlov (third from left), who joined Kibbutz Amir after immigrating to the Land of Israel. Aliyah emissaries Yehoshua Brock from Kibbutz Negba and Leah Laufer from Kibbutz Ein Hoshofet also worked in Schwebda.
Some of the children in the Schwebda home.
Can you identify the children in the photos?
In summer 1947 Avraham and the counseling staff begin preparing the children for their immigration to the Land of Israel. A group of young people is scheduled to board the Exodus.
In the photo: Avraham with his charges at the last assembly before the departure of the Exodus, which was supposed to bring them to the Land of Israel.
The children board the train going toward France, where they must wait clandestinely for the Exodus, which is supposed to bring them to the Land of Israel.
In our next installment: Rare photos of the deportation of the Exodus passengers and their forcible return to Hamburg port in Germany. Avraham and his “children” arrive at the Poppendorf displaced persons camp. Sarah remains with other children at the Blankenese children’s home.
