Presentation of "Rhodes and the Holocaust" by Isaac Benatar

Book-signing and presentation by Isaac Benatar, author of Rhodes and the Holocaust. Recently presented his book at the United States Holocaust memorial Museum in Washington DC.

Isaac Benatar (LL.B) is a law graduate of the University of London. He was born in Zimbabwe in 1943 and was elected Youth Mayor of the city of Salisbury during 1965-66. Became public prosecutor in Rhodesia from 1970 to 1980. He emigrated to the United States in 1980.

Rhodes and the Holocaust is the story of «La Juderia,» the Jewish community that once lived and flourished on Rhodes Island, the largest of the twelve Dodecanese islands in the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of Turkey. While the focus of the accounts of the Holocaust has for the most part been on the 8 Jewish populations of Eastern and Middle Europe, little seems to be known of the events that affected those communities in Greece and the surrounding Aegean Islands during that time. The population of this group was almost annihilated, reduced from a thriving community of over 80,000, to less than a 1,000 survivors, who were left to tell their stories. Among the victims of Rhodes Island were the grandmother and aunt of the author, who were killed by falling bombs, and his grandfather, who was taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp. This history tells of the deceit and inhuman treatment the entire Jewish community of Rhodes experienced during their deportation and eventual «liberation» by the Russian Army.

May 15: 2:00 pm.  Free event: Open to the general public. Refreshments served.

Autographed books for sale ($11)

If you cannot attend the event and wish an autographed copy, send $15 (includes shipping and handling) to Kehila Kedosha Janina, One Hanson Place, Huntington NY 11743. E-mail us at kehila_kedosha_janina@netzero.net to reserve an autographed copy.