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Paula Burger

Paula Burger

Paula Burger, a Holocaust survivor and artist whose menorahs defied the darkest corners, passed away Sept. 20, 2019, in Denver. Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky and Cantor Marty Goldstein officiated at the Sept. 22 service at BMH-BJ. Cantor Isaac Koll, her brother, chanted the memorial prayer.

Burial followed at Mt. Nebo Cemetery. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.

“My mother, Paula Burger, left an indelible impression on every person she met,” daughter Freda Miklin eulogized on behalf of her siblings. “Being with her was an experience of being truly known and accepted unconditionally . . .

“Paula will live on through her vivid and colorful paintings, vibrant with life and her Jewish soul . . . We will always have her in those paintings, and in the values of understanding, kindness and acceptance that she taught us by how she lived each day of her precious life.”

Granddaughter Jessica Grauer spoke for Paula’s nine grandchildren. Cantor Koll’s daughters Sarine Rodman and Keren Traub represented the cousins.

Paula Koladicki Burger was born on July 3, 1934, in Novogrudek, Poland, to Wolf and Sarah Koladicki.

The Nazis occupied Novogrudek on July 4, 1941, when Paula was seven. Novogrudek’s Jews were imprisoned in the town’s ghetto five months later. Wolf, who fled the ghetto to join the Bielski partisans in the Naliboki forest, intended to bring his family there.

When he learned of Sarah’s murder, in October, 1942, Wolf realized his children would be next and quickly arranged their escape to the forest. For over two years, they cofronted Nazis, disease, hunger and death at every turn.

The Red Army liberated Paula and her family, and at least 1,250 other Bielski Jews, on July 9, 1944. The Koladickis came to Chicago after the war.

Paula, who was married to David Zapiler from 1951 to 1978, moved to Denver in 1967.

She married Sam Burger in 1981.

Paula, an artist since her youth, worked in real estate and office administration in the 1970s. She began painting in earnest in the 1990s, and her expressive menorahs attracted a large following.

A student of Judaism, she attended classes with virtually every rabbi in Denver, particularly the clergy at BMH-BJ.

She spoke about the Holocaust at schools, synagogues and other venues for 17 years. Paula’s Window, a memoir of her Holocaust experiences, as told to IJN Senior Writer Andrea Jacobs, was published in 2013.

“We have to give her back to G-d and let her be free from the pain she endured, especially this past year, with the knowledge that if she could have stayed with us forever, she would have,” Freda said. “She loved us that much.”

Paula Burger is survived by her husband Sam Burger; her brother Cantor Isaac (Zahava) Koll; her sister Fay (Ira) Brenner; children Susan Grauer, Freda (Dr. Jerry) Miklin, Steven (Alisa) Zapiler and Robbyn Burger, all of Denver; grandchildren Jessica Grauer, Michael (Kelli) Grauer, Alex Miklin, Dr. Daniel Miklin, Rebecca Miklin, Zachary Miklin, Jason Miklin, Sarah (Zachary Tomlinson) Zapiler and Aaron Zapiler; and great-granddaughter Kaia Grauer.

Contributions may be made to the Holocaust Awareness Institute at the Center for Judaic Studies, DU.

Copyright © 2019 by the Intermountain Jewish News




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