Jun

24 2020

Holocaust Speaker Series via Zoom: Barbara McCoucha

RSVP Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9uY-wAmrTwOFISZTuTqT2Q

The Holocaust Speaker Series via Zoom is sponsored by Margaret and Michael Valentine.

Barbara McCoucha - daughter of a survivor

Barbara tells the story of her mother, Vera Gutin, a Holocaust survivor. Vera’s earliest memories begin with the events of Kristallnacht in her hometown of Trier, Germany. After experiencing the violence of Kristallnacht, Vera’s family relocated to nearby Luxembourg and eventually France in an attempt to stay ahead of the Nazis. Vera would spend the duration of the war in Vichy, France passing as a French child with the help of OSE, the French Resistance, and the care of a small French village. Barbara uses Vera’s personal notes, photos, and documents, presenting the story her mother shared before her, with additional information Barbara gathered on her own journey to Europe in 2018. Barbara is a senior support specialist at a local elementary school and spends her weekends volunteering as a storyteller in her temple’s library. She hopes her mother’s story of survival, risk, and the care of strangers will inspire people today to care for strangers in need.