Our Family Torah
Mancy Koenigsberg was born in Satmar, Hungary. There was a synagogue on her grandfather's property. The Nazi's destroyed their family Torah when they invaded the city.
After the Second World War, Mancy learned that both of her parents perished in Auschwitz. Mancy donated a Torah mantle to Congregation Beth Israel in Vancouver in her family's honour. (1 minute 50 seconds)
Mancy K. testimony, 1990. Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, excerpt from AVT 102.
Transcript
[Text: Mancy was born in Satmar, in what was then Hungary. She recalls the synagogue (shul) on her grandfather’s property, and the destruction of the family Torah when the Nazis came to her city.]
Mancy Koenigsberg: My grandfather had a big huge lot, and we had our own shul, you know, on the [lot] ... was a family shul. And when the Germans came in and destroyed the Torah, my mother was heartbroken. And when they took me to the concentration camp, we thought they [were] taking us to Germany to work. And I said to my mother, “Don’t cry, when I earn the money, I will buy you a Torah.”
Interviewer: You said this synagogue was a family synagogue?
Mancy Koenigsberg: Just a little synagogue. Usually, all the men were there every week, and lots of friends. And as the family grows, the synagogue was bigger, you know? And, I don’t know if I should tell you now. ... And all these years went by, and I always had this in my mind that I told this to my mother. And I was talking to Rabbi Solomon, and I told him that I can’t afford to buy a Torah, but I don’t know, the years go by, and I would like to do something. So, he suggested that I should give a Torah cover. And I did. Two years ago, I gave a Torah cover. So, I have this paper with me that I want to show to you.