Living a Life That Matters: From Nazi Nightmare to American Dream

In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser shares his incredible journey of survival, resilience, and hope. At 96 years old, Ben recounts his story with remarkable detail, leaving no need for questions during this one-and-a-half-hour conversation. His experiences, detailed further in his memoir Living a Life That Matters: From Nazi Nightmare to American Dream, are both harrowing and inspiring.

Born in Kraków, Poland, in 1928, Ben was one of seven family members whose lives were irrevocably changed by the Nazi invasion in 1939. From escaping the Kraków Ghetto to enduring the Bochnia Ghetto, his early years were marked by relentless suffering. 

Ben would later survive the unimaginable: four concentration camps, two death trains, and a death march, before being liberated in Dachau in 1945. Of his immediate family, only Ben and his older sister, Lola, survived.

After the war, Ben immigrated to the United States in 1947, settling in Los Angeles. He built a successful career in real estate, founding Ben Lesser and Associates, and found happiness with his wife, Jean, whom he married in 1950. Yet, his greatest achievement lies in his dedication to Holocaust education. 

As the founder of the Zachor Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, Ben has worked tirelessly to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust endure. His memoir used worldwide in educational settings, offers a profound first-person narrative of survival, resilience, and the pursuit of a meaningful life.

Zachor Holocaust Remembrance Foundation- https://zachorlearn.org/

Ben's memoir Living a Life That Matters: From Nazi Nightmare to American Dream https://zachorlearn.org/product/living-a-life-that-matters-paperback/

YouTube version of this episode 

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