This week we remember and honor Holocaust survivor, Ruth Lansing, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 105. Ruth was born in Odenkirchen, Germany and survived the horrors of Kristallnacht, sharing her experiences with thousands of students and community members through HERO’s speaker series leaving her listeners with the powerful message: “We only have one life to live and why not use it to make the world a better place. We would do better to focus on our similarities than our differences.” 

Ruth fled Germany immediately following the devastation of Kristallnacht and escaped to England on a domestic servant permit working as a maid and a waitress. She survived the harrowing destruction of The Blitz, though her parents and sister Gerti perished in Auschwitz.  

After the war, Ruth returned to Germany for three years as an allied employee working in censorship and later as a translator at the Nuremberg Trials. Ruth was finally able to immigrate to the United States in 1948. 

While visiting another sister in Buffalo, Ruth met Eric Lansing, z”l marrying him in 1949 and raising their two children Diane and Tom. Ruth worked for 20 years as a real estate agent, and along with her husband, was among the founding members of Congregation Temple Beth Am. Ruth and Eric traveled the world visiting 53 countries on 6 continents.  

“Our community has lost a true inspiration, and the world has lost an unsung hero of justice,” reflects Lauren Bloomberg, Director of HERO.  “We pay that Ruth’s memory always be for blessing for her family and throughout our community. 

Please join us on Sunday May 5th at noon for this year’s Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Memorial Commemoration in the Research Studies Auditorium at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. During our Commemoration, we will remember and honor the survivors and victims of the Holocaust using their stories and memories to ensure that we never forget!