Learning From the Past to Educate the Future

Sometimes you meet people who make a profound difference in your life and in the way you see the world. For Barbara and Barry Lewis, Naomi Warren, a Houston Holocaust Survivor, was one of those people. Naomi came from the same town, Volkovysk, as did Barry’s father, Lou.

Barbara and Barry are native Houstonians. Their parents were friends, and this was the beginning of a beautiful story about how their families’ friendship turned into a mutual love between them. Having literally known each other from birth, they are now celebrating over 62 years of marriage. Barbara and Barry attended religious school, were confirmed and married at Beth Israel. They have three sons, three daughters-in-law, “whom we consider daughters,” and nine wonderful grandchildren.

Both Barbara and Barry grew up in families that were classical Reform and not very long on traditions. Both families celebrated all the holidays, but Barry didn’t have a bar mitzvah, and even grew up with a Christmas tree. That lasted until one Saturday afternoon when their boys came home from religious school and asked, “Why, if we are Jewish, do we have a Christmas tree?” That was the end of the trees! Shortly after, as they were lighting the Shabbat candles, Barry recalls listening to their grandchildren reciting the prayers better than he could, and he had an “awakening,” of sorts. It underscored for him just how essential their religious education was.

Barry tells the story of inviting Naomi to share her life experiences with their family. It was important to Barbara and Barry that they understood what Naomi went through during the Holocaust. Naomi told them, “I grew up just like you did, and then one day I came home, and learned that we had to flee the country. Everything we knew as home we had to leave behind.” Naomi’s story, as well as other Holocaust Survivors’ stories, made a lasting impression on these young minds, and on Barbara’s and Barry’s.

As time went on, they both got involved in the Jewish community, Barbara through the Beth Israel Sisterhood, and Barry through Beth Israel, Seven Acres, the Federation and the Emery/Weiner School. But, other than through Naomi, they had no relationship with the Holocaust Museum Houston until Tali Blumrosen asked Barry to serve on the Museum Foundation Board. Barry says, “I think it was this involvement that really brought home to me what the Holocaust Museum Houston means for Houston and its surrounding communities.”

Educating young people is so important to Barbara and Barry. The institutions they support educate every day — Beth Israel, the Emery/Weiner School and Holocaust Museum Houston. They strongly believe that it takes courage on everyone’s part to start a meaningful conversation about mutual respect and acceptance. These institutions, along with others, are making a difference with these vital dialogues.

Barbara and Barry express, “With the way our world is today, it has never been more important for institutions like Holocaust Museum Houston to exist and have the strong, effective programs they have for educating youth and adults alike. We can never forget what happened and we must be aware of what is happening today. We need to keep telling the stories of Naomi Warren and other Holocaust Survivors. There are so many Holocaust deniers, and antisemitism is on the rise around the world.

“Our legacy gift to Holocaust Museum Houston will ensure that these important conversations continue for generations to come,” they add.

Like the Lewises, you can help the Museum continue the conversation with a legacy gift. Contact Colton Larsen at 713-527-1612 or clarsen@hmh.org to get started.