A group of Holocaust survivors prepared Hanukkah care packages for Israel’s Consulate General in New York to deliver to recently released Gaza hostages, in an activity organized by non-governmental agency The Blue Card.
The project was completed as part of the activities offered by The Blue Card’s Adolph and Lotte Rosenberg Holocaust Survivor Retreat in the Catskills and in collaboration with the Nachas Health and Family Network.
During this retreat, survivors met former hostage Andrey Kozlov, who was rescued during a special operation inside Gaza in June 2024.
The packages were later sent to the Israeli consulate, with three of the survivors present to hand them over to the authorities. The consulate assured that they would be delivered to the freed hostages as soon as possible.
Holocaust survivors and former hostages uniquely painful bond
“Holocaust survivors and former hostages share a uniquely painful bond shaped by survival and resilience,” Masha Pearl, executive director of The Blue Card, said.
“After witnessing a mass shooting at a Chanukah event in Sydney, it felt even more urgent for our survivors to deliver these care packages now, spreading light at a moment that feels dark for the entire Jewish world,” she added.
Each package included water bottles, teas, chapsticks, socks, a blanket, and a candle, along with handwritten notes of encouragement from Holocaust survivors, The Blue Line explained in a statement.
“The resilience of the Holocaust survivors we assist, the former hostages, and now the survivors of the attack in Australia reminds us that even in the face of hatred and violence, the Jewish people remain united,” Pearl concluded.
New York City is home to approximately 14,700 Holocaust survivors, many of whom are elderly, isolated, and living below the poverty line.
“Through moments like this, The Blue Card helps ensure that survivors are not only cared for, but remain connected to the Jewish community and its future,” the statement read.