AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME
Surviving The Holocaust:
A unique family archive
1943: Rosy and Sigmund Kanarek and their seven-year-old daughter Zahava are arrested in Amsterdam by the SS and taken to Westerbork transit camp.
1944: The Kanareks are deported to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. They are liberated in 1945, at the end of the Second World War.
2001: After her mother's passing, Zahava discovers a small suitcase tucked away at the back of a cupboard. Inside she finds a hidden archive of more than 200 objects, photos and documents collected and preserved by Rosy during the war. Zahava and her daughter Hephzibah begin a journey to understand Rosy's legacy...
Surviving The Holocaust:
A unique family archive
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Postcard from Rosy to her parents from Biberach, dated 27 April 1945 (Friday)
In this postcard, written from Biberach, Rosy confirms that she and her family had been liberated earlier that week, on the Monday.
She writes to reassure her parents: 'Thank G-d, we are well. We have no shortage of anything: we are just waiting for the possibility of being able to see you soon’.
She is surprised not to have heard from them and writes: 'We hope the day will soon arrive when we can hear each other’s voices again’.
The postcard closes simply: 'Til then. Lots of love and kisses, Rosy’.
One Family's Story of Survival
Kanarek Family. August 1941. Amsterdam. Holland
May 1943: Rosy, Sigmund and Zahava are arrested and taken to Westerbork, a transit camp in northeast Holland.
January 1944: The Kanareks are deported to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where Rosy fights to protect eight-year-old Zahava, until their liberation at the end of the war, while secretly preserving a record of their lives before and during their ordeal.
80 years later: Zahava’s experiences and memories live on through Hephzibah, who has made it her mission to share this remarkable story with a new generation.
Through Zahava’s experiences, historical artefacts, and original documents, Hephzibah ensures that her family's story is never forgotten, bringing history to life for audiences today.
Kanarek Family. 1961, Holland
Amsterdam, December 1942: Faced with impossible choices, Rosy and Sigmund Kanarek entrust their sixteen-month-old son, Jehudi, to the Dutch Resistance in the hope of saving his life, not knowing if they will ever see him again. Their seven-year-old daughter, Zahava, remains with them.
“Over the years, I have spoken to audiences from every background, faith and community. The story of my family’s survival carries universal lessons about resilience, tolerance and the importance of remembering.
Sharing my family's story is both a privilege and a responsibility. It is my way of continuing the act of bearing witness, reminding us of the importance of memory, testimony and our collective responsibility to never forget.”
— Hephzibah Rudofsky
The Archive Featured:
Items from the archive have been featured in exhibitions including The Wiener Holocaust Library's Traces of Belsen exhibition. Talks include the Jewish Museum London, the Imperial War Museum, The National Archives and the National Holocaust Museum.
Surviving The Holocaust: Education Programme
Since 2009, Hephzibah has brought items from Rosy's Archive to Britain's schools, in Surviving The Holocaust, an educational programme that tells the story of her family's survival in a personal account that brings history to life via her portable family museum.
I thought that the talk was amazing as it gave me an insight into the personal experiences during the holocaust. I thought that it was very well structured, delivered and interesting. I also felt very engaged in her story and I felt like I was there with the family. I also enjoyed the videos of her mother because it felt very real and interesting.
The talk was an experience I will never forget.
I thought the talk was really good—it was powerful, emotional, and very informative. The way the speaker shared personal stories made it easier to connect with the real people behind the history. It helped me understand not just the facts, but also the feelings and impact the Holocaust had on individuals and families. It was respectful and meaningful, and I appreciated how it encouraged us to remember and learn from the past.
I loved the talk I think it was my favourite that I have seen
I thought the talk was absolutely brilliant and I would love for others to have the opportunity to see and listen to what I had listened and learned from this experience.
I thought it was brilliant and I loved how we were able to see the artefacts in person. Thank you for delivering this talk!
I thought it was an extremely deep and thought-provoking talk that stayed with me long after the talk had finished.
I think it was so important for us to get a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and how it affected so many families- it provided a meaningful insight into the personal experiences of Holocaust survivors, which made the history feel more real. The way Ms. Hephzibah explained her mother's story was also so amazing, as she was able to balance the facts with her families emotions and what was running through their head at the time- I like how she allowed others to participate and share their knowledge of the talk as well, and allowed everyone to feel more invested in their story.
I think the talk was incredible. The whole time throughout the talk, I was captivated by the events of the story and the eye catching artefacts. Furthermore, Hepzibah's voice perfectly fits for a story narrator which made it even better.
I really thought it was an incredible talk and i really mean that. I have heard many many Holocaust talks from survivors themselves even in my lifetime and I thought Hephzibah spoke so well clearly and articulately and that her talk was extremely well done and i came out of the speech actually wanting to commend her. The artefacts are an amazing aspect, the pp was very good and she was an amazing speaker.
Was very interesting, especially because I really like history, but the way Hephzibah shared the artefacts, the pictures, the letter, make me feel in contact with the history, I've never talked to someone who had something related to the World's history, so I think that the presentation was very interesting, and is very important to give the students opportunities like this to get more knowledge in different ways. I am very glad and thankful for Hephzibah's visit
Hephzibah Rudofsky (Kohn)
Hephzibah Rudofsky is a Holocaust educator, public speaker, and custodian of her family’s Holocaust archive, with more than two decades dedicated to education and remembrance. As the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she is committed to ensuring that personal testimony continues to connect new generations with Holocaust history.
Working alongside her mother, Lady Zahava Kohn, she created 'Surviving the Holocaust' and, since 2009, has reached more than 50,000 students across the UK, Germany, and the United States.
Her work has been widely recognised, including a guest appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, the Freedom of the City of London, and the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award.
Lady Zahava Kohn MBE
Lady Zahava Kohn (Kanarek) was born in Palestine in 1935 and spent her early childhood in pre-war Amsterdam before being incarcerated in Westerbork transit camp and Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. After her liberation in 1945, she returned to Amsterdam with her family and later settled in London.
In 2001, following the death of her mother, Rosy, Zahava discovered a hidden archive of wartime documents and memories. This remarkable collection became the foundation of her memoir, Fragments of a Lost Childhood (2009). Together with her daughter, Hephzibah, she developed the 'Surviving the Holocaust' educational programme.
Rosy Kanarek
Rosy Kanarek survived incarceration in Westerbork and Bergen-Belsen with her husband Sigmund and daughter Zahava, and was reunited with her son Jehudi in 1947 after he survived the war in hiding.
After her death, it was discovered that Rosy had preserved wartime documents, artefacts, family letters and photographs in a bag left untouched for many years. The collection became an extraordinary record of her life and experiences.
Biographies
The Book:
Fragments of a Lost Childhood:
Zahava Kohn in Conversation with Ann Rosen
In 2009, Zahava published her memoir, Fragments of a Lost Childhood, based on the remarkable archive she found after her mother’s death in 2001. The book traces her journey from a traumatic childhood in concentration camps in Holland and Germany – and tells of the astonishing twists and turns that enabled her entire immediate family to survive in the bleakest of conditions.
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