Reading, MA — On March 3, 2025, Reading will bear witness to history as 97-year-old Auschwitz survivor Helga Melmed shares her harrowing story of survival and resilience. Hosted by Chabad of Wakefield, the event will take place at the Reading Memorial High School and is open to the community.
Melmed was just five years old when her schoolteacher in Berlin called her a “dirty Jew” and beat her hands. She was ten when Kristallnacht shattered Jewish homes and businesses. By thirteen, she was deported with her parents to the Lodz Ghetto, where starvation and forced labor claimed her father’s life. She was later sent to Auschwitz, then to brutal labor camps near Hamburg, and finally endured a death march to Bergen-Belsen. Weighing just 46 pounds, riddled with typhus, typhoid fever, and tuberculosis, she was barely conscious when the British liberated the camp on April 15, 1945.
Now, at 97, Melmed is flying in from Florida for this rare appearance. She rarely travels anymore but understands how crucial it is to share her story ensuring that history’s darkest chapter will never be repeated.
“There’s so much anti-Semitism today,” Melmed says. “Hate and violence bring only destruction. We must choose love and respect instead.”
This event is brought to you by Chabad of Wakefield along with our wonderful corporate sponsors, ensuring that Melmed’s message reaches hundreds of residents. Adding to the evening’s emotional depth, a violinist will perform the haunting theme from Schindler’s List, setting the tone for reflection and remembrance.
Tickets are available for $18 for adults and $10 for students. Secure your seat at JewishWakefield.com/tickets or call 781-205-9593.
Join us in remembering, learning, and ensuring that voices like Melmed continue to be heard. The event will take place in the William E. Endslow Performing Arts Center, the auditorium of Reading Memorial High School.
