COMING TO AMERICA: a HOLOCAUST immigrant’s story

While we live in Leisure World and think of the people who live around us as born Americans, there is much to be learned about the actual origin and lives of many amongst us. To address this situation from a very sensitive perspective, the Center for Livelong Learning has arranged for Margarete Diener Levy to tell us of her experiences as an experienced Holocaust survivor and then immigrant to the United States. Her presentation will take place Thursday, June 27, 2024 at 2 p.m. in Clubhouse 2 Auditorium. Residents interested in attending the program should register to attend with Lifestyle in Clubhouse 1 or 2 or by calling Lifestyle at (301-598-1320). Class registration begins on the Tuesday following the Friday publication in the Leisure World newspaper. For more details about the class, contact the Center’s website at https://www.cllmd.com.

Margarete Diener Levy was born on the border of Russia and Siberia, and also on the “border” of the end of World War II, the Holocaust, and the Cold War between the USA and Russia. Her parents were Holocaust survivors. Her mother was born in the Ukraine, her father in Poland, and her younger brother in Germany in a Displaced Persons camp. This family, each born in a different country, emigrated to the United States, when Margarete was nearly 6 1/2 years old.

She grew up to become a librarian, storyteller, artist, writer, as well as a witness to her Jewish family’s losses, survival, and keeper of their stories. As a teacher, she has participated in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) for Adults, on the Montgomery County Literacy Council, for 10 years, and has trained new teachers. Her “HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR COOKBOOK” was published in 2007 and reprinted 3 times; it includes memories and recipes of survivors. Soon to be published, will be an anthology by members of THE GENERATIONS AFTER; based on the experiences of members of the Metro DC group for descendants of the Holocaust.

She has been writing most of her life, and had individual pieces of prose, poetry, memoir published, but in her late 70s she is now working on several book projects and feeling like a neophyte because technology is difficult for her. Born in Siberia, she is Polish/Ukrainian /Chinese/Jewish, a straddler of first to second Generation Holocaust survivors. She is also a retired librarian, Mother Goose, a storyteller for children and adults. Sometimes for the very adult. Rushing to publish before she anticipates perishing with stories yet to be born.

Attend this presentation to hear the real story of those who were impacted by the Nazis and what the Holocaust means to those who survived and live now in the present world.