American Jews Through the Years: A 250th Birthday Tribute

David Geffen recalls the joy of the US Bicentennial celebration 50 years ago, anticipating the nation's upcoming 250th birthday. He shares personal memories of American Jews who left a lasting impression, emphasizing the importance of remembering individuals who shared their lives.

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Being alive to celebrate this 250th American birthday, I remember and value those American Jews, especially one in Oklahoma, an Israeli whose wife was a Native American of the Apache tribe.

Geffen recounts experiences from his time living in Wilmington, Delaware, before making aliyah. He remembers visiting Winterthur, a historic estate, and learning about Dr. John de Sequeyra, an 18th-century Jewish physician credited with introducing the tomato to the US. He also reflects on his teenage discovery of the Holocaust and the profound impact of meeting survivors Halina and George Preston in Wilmington.

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To survive, Halina hid for 14 months in 1943-1944 with nine other Jews in the sewers of what is now Lviv, Ukraine.

Halina Wind Preston, a Holocaust survivor who hid for 14 months in sewers, became an eloquent spokeswoman for victims and survivors after immigrating to the US. She met George, an Auschwitz-Birkenau survivor, in 1949, and they married and settled in Delaware. When Geffen's family moved to Delaware in 1970, Halina was already a respected educator and a vital voice sharing her story.

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When our family moved to Delaware in 1970, Halina was a beloved educator and the eloquent spokeswoman for the victims and survivors of the Holocaust.