“My heart is always in Israel” | Zahava Burack | Israel Independence Day 75 | USC Shoah Foundation

“If we don’t have the State of Israel, none of us are safe any place. I think Israel is not just our security blanket, it’s our country. And I feel very strong that we [...] should never forget that this is the only thing we have, that we can walk with our heads high because there is a State of Israel.”
After surviving the Holocaust, 12-year-old Zahava Burack was smuggled into Palestine. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces and living in Israel for twelve years, Zahava moved to the United States to work for the Israeli Consulate in New York City. She became known for her Jewish- and Israeli-centered philanthropy and political endeavors.
75 years ago (according to the Hebrew calendar) in 1948, the State of Israel was formally established.
April is Genocide Awareness Month.
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#ZahavaBurack #holocaustsurvivorinterview #GenocideAwarenessMonth #IsraelIndependenceDay #StateofIsrael

[@annedwyer797]

Just when I thought this story couldn't get any more incredible, Zahava's oldest sister returns to them! Her survival and finding her way back to her family is amazing. AND even more amazing that they found the Matsugorski family and brought them to New York to be honored. Absolutely incredible!!

[@dulipedu]

she died in 2001 - may she rest in peace

[@AjayTaylor-tg7wi]

What a wonderful lady So much resilience and grace God bless her and her family ✨️

[@dianapbresinger1998]

A beautiful story of strength and selflessness by her, her parents and family, and the Polish couple.

[@moleisrich1]

Wow absolutely gorgeous!

[@elisabetosthsvanberg1095]

What a beautiful woman, inside out❤️

[@djholliday5132]

Mrs. Burack is such a phenomenal woman & survivor. She tells her story of survival with class & elegance. Thankful for her testimony.

[@glorialegault6696]

As I listened ro ako the tapes if the struggles just to live as a young child with her family, the sincere kindness of the POLISH COUPLE, I AM POLISH TOO. The things good and bad that this women live through, the almost impossible things she did with her faith in GOD, LOVE DOR HER PEOPLE, NATION AND PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS FOR PEACE. HOLDING NO ANGER BUT STRONG DETERMINATION AND ALL THE RHINGS SHE DID. EVEN LOOKING UP THE POLISH COUPLE A D CONTINUED WORK IN THE UNITED STATES WITH ISRAEL MADE ME UNDERSTAND HOW BAD THIS TIME REALLY WAS. I WAS BORN AFTER THE WAR. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUED SHOWING OF HER LIFE AND HOW THROUGH ONE ANOTHER 🎉IF WE CONTINUE TO LOVE AND WORK WITH RACH ORHER WE WOULD NOT HAVE THESE WARS ETC. WE TGE PEOPKE NEED TO CONTINUE AND SHOW AND TEACH OUR CHILDREN OF LIFE STRUGLES ❤️ CAN CHANGE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL HUMANITY. WE MUST NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. KEEP OUR ONE GOD WHO LOVES ALL PEOPLE, COLOR, NATIONALITY, ETC. GOOD WILL lways prevale over evil . AlwYs keep GOD AS NO ONE THEN YOUR FAMILY ETC. A BETTER WORKD THIS WOULD BE. THANK YOU ALL THAT HELPED MAKE THESE VIDEOS. NEVER STOP SHOWING

[@Samantha30090]

I agree, she is absolutely beautiful.

[@Sarah-mc7hn]

She is so lovely and beautiful!!❤

[@mountaingirl6479]

Wiw! That was an amazing story! And it kept getting more amazing as she went along!!

[@annedwyer797]

I think this is the most amazing story of survival of the Holocaust I've ever read or heard, both on the part of Zahava's family and the family that sheltered them. By the halfway point of this interview, I wondered if the family that sheltered them became Righteous Among Nations by the state of Israel. (Then I listened to the rest of the interview!!)

[@lt.savior141]

I have watched (and listened) to many many interviews. I'm always amazed. But this one really shook me. Made me really small.

[@natashamichelle8330]

I want to hear Rita's story!!

[@TheLindaEdit]

Quite a remarkable story! First surviving for so long in a living grave and THEN her sister returns! Wow! She is a very attractive woman and accomplished so much during her lifetime. I wish I knew her rags to riches story as well. From nothing to mansions and famous people dinners! The White House. Remarkable.

[@TheAnthoula14]

Amazing story, what a lovely woman, I would have loved to have met her. I can't imagine what it must have been like when they realized the couple got kicked out of their own home. I can't begin to imagine what went though her parents mind, they knew the war was reaching the end. As a side note - the photos of Hilary Clinton took me aback. I had forgotten she was once such an attractive lady. She looked a lot happier too back then...

[@natashamichelle8330]

Wow what a story.

[@user-cd9if8rk7i]

So much here to contemplate

[@pierrettedecinti573]

What is wrong with the translator a quarter of the words were wrong. Is this a computer? This women was so wonderful. God bless her and her whole family.

[@annedwyer797]

Yes, the closed captions are absolutely RUBBISH. I've watched several Shoah Project interviews, and the cc's are all terrible! I don't know who's responsible, but if the USC Shoah Project does them, they should be ashamed of themselves. It's almost an insult to the survivors giving their testimonies.

[@annedwyer797]

The close captions are RUBBISH! Unless you're a student of history and can figure out what's being said, you'll miss quite a bit of detail/context. I've watched several Shoah Foundation interviews, and the cc's are all terrible! I don't know who's responsible, but if the USC Shoah Project does the captioning, they should be ashamed of themselves. It's almost an insult to the survivors giving their testimonies.

[@sisterkathleen]

gentiles arent Christians- the word gentile was in the Bible before Jesus so please figure out who is a gentile

[@adambrocklehurst4211]

It means non-Jew, like pagan means non-Christian

[@stephenfisher3721]

Gentile is a word in the English language. The Bible was not written in English. What are you trying to say?

[@lizhart1526]

Last name Macugowski is NOT a common polish name.

[@adambrocklehurst4211]

Stephania and Jozef Macugowski were made righteous amongst nations.

[@annedwyer797]

Lime L: Since this woman was born in Poland and spent her childhood there, I'll take her word instead of yours that the name of the Polish couple is a common Polish name.

[@adambrocklehurst4211]

@@annedwyer797 There is photographs of the couple being made righteous amongst nations online. I thought Liz Hart's comments most distasteful.

[@lizhart1526]

@@annedwyer797 i dont care! i was also born in Poland and last names Kowalski or Nowak is very common but not Macugowski...I also think she is saying the name incorrectly.....I think it should be Maczugowski

[@16mimimo]

@@adambrocklehurst4211 totally agree, silly Lizzy!

[@Hunny1au]

Why is she so cagey about stating her age?? Too much vanity and I will never understand why some women are ashamed of admitting their age. As a woman I am proud of aging. Many don't get that privilege.

[@englishlady8863]

Her age is her business no one else's.

[@nwadi6408]

Of all the things to focus on, you elect this? Says so much about you not her.

[@robertgruber3642]

I'm the widow of an Eastern European survivor who was a boy toddler during the Shoah. Before liberation he was shocked by witnessing gruesome episodes and violent tragedies. I dedicated much of my life to his memory remembering so much about the vicious insanity of those who collaborated every wicked in detail to activate the worst Genocide that my tribe and other innocent humans endured. All that I know is horrifying and beyond the worst hellish nightmare.... because it was Real! This magnificent lady's memories left me astonished and devistated . I feel so small even though I'm a Cancer survivor and a single aging mother of two adult sons with severe trauma issues. As an 83 yr old disabled senior caregiver, who lost many relatives in the Holocaust, this unique, courageous and stunning lady's memories are legendary , and unusually heroic. I will never forget this epic true story!