Couple Turns Holocaust Survivor's Story Into Hope for Kids

When seven-year-old Dorrith Oppenheim boarded a train to Scotland in July 1939, she carried little more than a handkerchief in her pocket and a world of uncertainty ahead. Decades later, her story of survival is teaching thousands of children what it means to show up for others.

Eli and Jill Rabinowitz, former South Africans now based in Perth, Australia, have transformed Dorrith's autobiographical picture book "In My Pocket" into interactive workshops for students ages eight to 12. The two-hour sessions blend storytelling, discussion, and creativity as children create artwork on cotton bags reflecting themes of rescue, hope, and resilience.

The book captures Dorrith's journey as a Kindertransport refugee who fled Kassel, Germany, just months before World War II began. Written from a child's perspective, it follows her separation from family, arrival in a country where she couldn't speak the language, and gradual adaptation starting with simple English phrases. Dorrith wrote it in 1996 to leave a legacy for younger generations after building a meaningful life in Scotland.

The workshops align with school curricula covering civics, migration, refugees, and human rights. They introduce Holocaust history gently while connecting to modern refugee experiences worldwide. The program has reached schools across Australia and New Zealand with support from German embassies, city councils, and cultural institutions.

Why This Inspires

The Rabinowitzs established the We Are Here! Foundation to promote the concept of being an "upstander" rather than a bystander. Their work proves that one person's story, thoughtfully shared, can plant seeds of compassion in young minds. They've even incorporated the Partisan Song from the Vilna Ghetto, an anthem of defiance that emerged from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, showing children how courage persists through darkness.

Eli's Lithuanian Jewish ancestry fuels his passion for this work. As a genealogist, he recently attended the opening of the Lost Shtetl Museum in Lithuania, which recreates pre-Holocaust shtetl life. These personal connections remind him why education and memory matter.

The couple is now touring South Africa, bringing Dorrith's message to local students. Every workshop reinforces values of empathy, kindness, and inclusivity in multicultural classrooms. Through creative activities and honest conversations, children learn that history isn't just dates and facts but real people who faced impossible choices with remarkable courage.

One handkerchief, one pocket, one story now reaching thousands of hearts.