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Leo Silvers

Leo Silvers

Leo Silvers

Leo Silvers, a Holocaust survivor, passed away Oct. 19, 2017, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Rabbi Moshe Scheiner of Palm Beach Synagogue officiated at the Oct. 20 service at Star of David Funeral Home. IJ Morris at Star of David of the Palm Beaches made the arrangements.

“Leo Silvers was a fine man,” eulogized his son Dr. William Silvers, “a smart, strong, hard-working man committed to his family.

“He was a symbol of survival, from the Holocaust to rebirth and dedication to life.”

Mr. Silvers was born July 3, 1920, in Radom, Poland.

Accepted to medical school in Warsaw in September, 1939, his dream was destroyed by the Nazis.

Mr. Silvers married Helena in 1942, when the Nazis deported 30,000 of Radom’s 33,000 Jewish residents to their death in Treblinka.

The couple worked in labor camps until they were deported to and separated at Auschwitz in August, 1944.

Mr. Silvers was then deported to Sachsenhausen and Oranienberg.

The Americans liberated him follwing a death march from Dachau in May, 1945. Helena was liberated after the death march from Auschwitz that same year.

Crisscrossing Europe in the hopes of finding one another, Leo and Helena reunited at the Prague train station in August, 1945, on their third wedding anniversary.

Mr. Silvers worked for the United Nations Relief Agency at a DP camp near Munich. A supply officer, he helped stock trucks for the clandestine transfer of refugees from Europe to Israel.

“He remained a staunch Zionist, visiting and sending money to family in Israel,” William said.

The couple immigrated to America and rebuilt their life in Indiana, where they had cousins. Mr. Silvers founded his own business, which evolved into a furniture and appliance store.

After moving to Florida in 1973, he started a small dinette specialty business and didn’t retire until he was 75.

The Silvers relocated to Palm Beach Gardens to be close to their daughter.

Mr. Silvers was a Mason, a Shriner and a proud American.

“Despite struggling with his faith in G-d because of the Holocaust, he raised two children who are committed Jews,” his son said.

Leo Silvers is survived by Helena Silvers, his wife of 75 years; two children, Dr. William Silvers and Rosemarie (David) Kanter; and grandsons Joseph (Alanna) Kanter, Ryan Kanter and Benjamin Kanter.

Contributions may be made to the Holocaust Survivors Fund at JFS.

Copyright © 2017 by the Intermountain Jewish News




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