Congregation Beth Torah member, Robert Cohn, son of Holocaust survivors, donated his family’s Holocaust-related items to his synagogue.
The items, which are on display, were donated not only as a living memorial to his parents and his late wife of 27 years, Lorena Cohn, but also with the express desire that it be utilized in the synagogue’s education initiatives.
Cohn’s mother, Betty, and his father, Berthold Cohn, fled Germany at different times in 1938 to a refugee camp in Shanghai, China. There they met and married in 1946. Robert’s mother wanted an “American Baby,” and one day after arriving in America, on Nov. 1, 1947, Robert was born.
“Robert’s gift to us of his precious family items from the time of the Shoah will provide priceless education value to our students and our congregation at large,” said Damien Timms, executive director of Beth Torah. “These items not only demonstrate the efforts the Reich took to further demarcate Jews — the red “J” on their passports — but we also get to see an area of Shoah history that many, including myself, did not know about, that being the exodus of Jews to Shanghai. These items, including his parent’s three marriage licenses — in German, Chinese and Hebrew — along with their cooking pot from the camp, show a deeply personal side to Jewish history. It was a privilege for us to receive these items. On both a personal and professional level, it was an honor to work with Robert on the display. As executive director of Beth Torah, I feel an extraordinary duty to be the caretaker of these items.”
Situated just inside the Beth Torah building in its ulam (entrance hall), the display has pride of place so all who enter can read the deeply personal account of Cohn’s family.
Hanging above the display is an article from The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle which then reported on Robert’s dual bar mitzvah with his son.
Beth Torah has also been named the recipient of Cohn’s estate after his passing.
The Chinese marriage license of Betty and Berthold Cohn, then Jewish refugees in Shanghai, on display at Congregation Beth Torah.
The German passport of Betty Cohn upon her departure from Nazi Germany in 1938, on display at Congregation Beth Torah.