Batmitzvah girl furthers links to Shoah victim

THE FIRST bar/batmitzvah celebrant at Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue to link their ceremony to a young Shoah victim has tracked down the victim’s family.

Through the Yad Vashem scheme, Emily Lenchner was paired with Belgian-born Suzanna Apteker, who had the same birthday.

Emily’s grandfather Jack Pikus, Chigwell and Hainault’s financial representative, said the families were now in regular contact and the Lenchners planned to visit Suzanna’s relatives in Israel soon.

Mr Pikus added that during Emily’s dvar Torah, she produced photos of Suzanna.

“The room went completely silent as she turned round to the left and to the right, showing the whole congregation. People were tearful. At the kiddush, everyone spoke of how emotional they were.”

To keep Suzanna’s memory alive, Emily lights a candle for her every Shabbat.

Chigwell and Hainault board member Harvey Frankel set up the local project, which requires participants to donate £35 for research into the life of a young victim and a Yad Vashem pin. In each case, Yad Vashem will try to find a connection, whether the same surname or birthday, or grandparents from the same village.

Mr Frankel said the synagogue’s rabbi, Boruch Davis, had told him that “this is the best thing the shul’s ever done”. Other congregations in the area have been encouraged to get involved.

Sandra Gold, who coadministers the programme at Yad Vashem UK, said it was important to give young people “an insight into the Holocaust. They are doing their bar/batmitzvah for both themselves and for the victim.” Emily Lenchner and Suzanna Apteker