Hear the virtual conversation with Rochy Miller and Kerryn Lehman, daughter and granddaughter of the late Holocaust Survivor Lea Leibowitz.
Original event date: 1/10/2021
Rochy and Kerry are the daughter and granddaughter of an amazing lady, Lea Leibowitz, who was a Holocaust survivor.
Bobba, (as Lea was known to everyone), shared her stories of that dark time in history, as a personal mission to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust – the embodiment of hatred, cruelty and racial barbarity – are never forgotten, and never repeated.
But despite the horrors and loss she endured, the emphasis of her stories is of optimism and positivity, determination, and pragmatism. They reflect the achievements of someone who faced her worst nightmare and emerged with her humanity intact.
Bobba died in 2000, but her stories live on.
In this unique mother and daughter interview, Rochy and Kerry are going to share some of these stories with you. They are going to touch on many of Bobba’s attributes and coping skills, her intense experience of the Holocaust and her amazing ability to move on and live life to the fullest.
And they are sure to leave you with an indelible impression of the truly incredible person Bobba – their mother and grandmother – was.
“Now when we come to talk about heroism, when we talk about heroism and courage and the rest of it, I want to emphasize that every hour of our life, to live an extra hour under those circumstances, this was courage, this was heroism. There is always active and passive, and we were denied the active. We couldn’t do anything to our murderers, to our enemies, but at least we tried to defy them, by trying to want to live”.
Lea Leibowitz
About Our Speakers
Rochy Miller
Rochy is a retired medical doctor and writer. In addition to her medical qualifications she has studied creative writing, holds both Medical Journalism and Master of Journalism degrees, is the author of a series of widely used text books in the field of aesthetics education, and has published numerous short stories and articles.
Rochy is also the author of “Not Just a Survivor – a portrait of my mother”.
This memoir of her mother’s story is both a chilling narrative of an exceptional woman’s life journey, and a personal reflection on being the child of a Holocaust survivor.
Drawing on her mother’s many stories and the abundant written and recorded information she provided, the book delivers a harrowing personal insight – often in her mother’s own words – into life in the Kovno Ghetto, and the five concentration camps in which she was incarcerated.
But the book is also a celebration of the life of an amazingly optimistic woman who rose above her horrendous experiences, emerged with her humanity intact, and went on to dedicate her life to ensuring the stories of the Holocaust are perpetuated, and the heroism of its survivors are honored.
Originally from South Africa, Rochy now lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband – but spends much of her time traveling to Florida, USA, where her two young granddaughters live. When not traveling, she can be found pursuing her other favorite creative pursuits: painting and toy-making, and – like her mother − baking up a storm in her kitchen.
To order your copy of Not Just a Survivor – A Portrait of my Mother click here.
Kerryn Lehman
Kerryn was born in South Africa, raised in Australia and has now made her home in America. She lives in Palm Beach Gardens, FL with her husband and two gorgeous little girls.
Kerryn formerly worked in the hearing healthcare industry and as a product and training manager but now spends her time at home chasing after her highly energetic daughters, braving the 30 hours on an airplane to travel to Australia and volunteering for a variety of organizations focusing on social justice.
She is passionate about exploring family history and genealogy, sharing her Bobba’s story and making sure the atrocities of the Holocaust are never forgotten.
