The late David Shentow once vowed he would “crawl on his hands and knees to Auschwitz” to tell his Holocaust story, as a way to counter those who deny the Nazis murdered six million Jews during the Second World War. Over the years, until his death in 2017, Shentow spoke to hundreds of schoolchildren and adults about his experiences as a teenage slave labourer under the Nazis, and also as a prisoner at both Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps.
His family and supporters with March of the Living Canada hope new generations of young people can learn Shentow’s message when they pass through a park in the west end of Ottawa that now bears his name. The rededication ceremony was held on Sept. 11, 2022.
On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, we hear from three people who knew Shentow best: his daughter Lorie Shentow in Toronto; Eli Rubenstein of Congregation Habonim in Toronto, who accompanied Shentow on multiple March of the Living trips to Poland; and Bram Bregman, an Ottawa Jewish volunteer who shepherded the park renaming campaign through City Hall.
What we talked about:
- Read about David Shentow in The CJN archives and also here
- Watch David Shentow in this film by Carleton University’s Jewish studies program, meeting with Grade 10 students at Carina Wilson Secondary School
Credits
The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Production assistance by Gabrielle Nadler and YuZhu Mou. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To learn how to subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video.