o.deutsch@ikg-wien.at
office@ikg-wien.at
Herr Deutsch,
I am writing to you as head of the Jewish community.
A terrible wrong has been exacted on Beth Alexander, a wrong where her children Sammy and Benji have been taken from her, through no fault of her own. A loving and nurturing mother who was threatened and bullied by her husband Michael Schlesinger. Court cases were held where judges were changed and the same judge presided, where independent psychiatric reports that proved there was nothing wrong with Ms Alexander were ignored, where Michael Schlesinger who abused Beth was given custody of Sammy and Benji, unbelievable.
Beth has been thwarted time and time again. Nobody in the Vienna Jewish community supported Beth, there was no one she could turn to. No one was interested in the truth of the matter. Again, unbelievable.
You know what? It hurts me. It hurts me and pains me that Beth, Sammy and Benji are in this undeserved and unwarranted position. It hurts me as if Beth is my daughter, and Sammy and Benji, my grandchildren. I haven't slept at night thinking of what I can do to help.
I am told a letter to you, Herr Deutsch, could help, and so, I am writing.
As head of the Jewish community, I realise that you like to support and help those members of it. However, a line has to be drawn where there are obvious wrongs that have been committed. It is not right to bury your head in the sand like an ostrich, or wear blinkers like a horse, and think that if you can't see it, the problem will disappear. It won't, not ever. What it will do is that it will grow until it envelopes the whole of Jewish Austria, and no Jewish community in the world will want anything to do with you ever.
For the sake of any worthwhile future that Sammy and Benji both deserve, and are to enjoy, they must be returned to the loving arms of their mother. I hate to even consider what type of a future they would have if this were not to take place.
Do you know Herr Deutsch what history has shown us. It has shown us that all men of stature who are remembered to this day, have stood apart from the rest of men, and achieved something that has affected many people or even the whole of mankind. For example, Moses, the leader of the Jewish people, the most humble of men, Aaron, a man of peace, Nachshon ben Aminadav, who was the first to step into the Red Sea, and, more recently, and closer to home, Sigmund Freud and Simon Wiesenthal.
It only takes one person to stand apart from the rest, and do what is right. It doesn't take money, it takes belief. Belief that you are doing something that is right for humanity as a whole. Do you know how I know this? I will tell you.
I knew a man who was related to my husband's family, who was a philanthropist. He had a great deal of money. He donated to all sorts of charities, and, as he had no children of his own left a will donating the bulk of his fortune to charity with a few bequests to relatives. I can't say that I knew him very well, just met him on family social occasions. I can't say that I liked him or disliked him. When he passed away, I went to his funeral. Let me tell you Herr Deutsch, it was the men of the Chevrah Kadishah who made up a Minyan of ten men for this funeral. I'm sure the charities and relatives who benefitted from his wealth, put the money to good use, but did anyone come to the funeral, even to show respect? no!
Many years later I was told a story about this man. How, during World War II, he was approached and asked to guarantee the passage of Jewish people out of Germany or Poland. He refused. He had a chance to make a difference, and he refused.
Let's hope and pray we are not like this man. That we step up when we are asked to make a difference. I am baring my soul and writing this letter to you Herr Deutsch.
What are you going to do?
Yours sincerely
Helena Orenstein
#openletterstodeutsch #reunitingbethwithhersons
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