November 01, 2013
By Ruth Cohen
My grandmother lived with us after my grandfather died in 1937. My parents did not want her to live by herself in my grandparents’ house. Among many other things she taught us as young children was the song “Old Man River” from Showboat, the song made famous by Paul Robeson. She also told us that in America each person, rich or poor, whatever race or religion, was equal. As a young child I certainly believed her.
When Hitler’s Germany made the pact with the British to break up Czechoslovakia, Mukachevo became Munkács and my family had a big dilemma. We had a choice to go to Palestine or the United States. My family from America sent us papers first, so our plan was to prepare ourselves for that probability. My father could not think of leaving his 80-year-old mother behind, so even that plan was nixed and we stayed in Munkacs. Soon schools, attitudes, business, food, and just about everything else changed.
We were taken to a concentration camp, including my grandmother. Most of my family was murdered. I was hospitalized for a whole year and finally got better. My father, sister, and I got ready to sail for America. We boarded the SS Washington in Le Havre, France, in April 1948. The voyage was awful, the Atlantic was very stormy, everyone was sick. Fortunately I was not.
When we arrived at the New York harbor at 5 a.m. on April 26, 1948, my birthday, the weather was glorious. As we slowly passed the Statue of Liberty, my feelings as well as those of all other passengers—all of whom were survivors—were very strong. We all cried and hoped that our new lives would be as beautiful as we saw Lady Liberty to be. We were met by cousins, and because it was the first day of Pesach and we were very religious, we walked to Williamsburg crossing the Williamsburg bridge. The view of Manhattan was unbelievably amazingly beautiful. Each time I pass by the Statue of Liberty, by car or ship, the very same feelings arise—tears, hope, and disappointments all over again.
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