Preserving Stories for Future Generations

Judith and Harvey Rosenstock have been involved with Holocaust Museum Houston since its founding in 1996. Recently, one of their friends encouraged Harvey to join the Advisory Board, which is bringing them even closer to the Museum's mission of teaching lessons from the Holocaust and promoting Human Rights.

Harvey's family originated from Germany, Romania and Vilna, formerly part of Poland and now a city in Lithuania. He was raised in a modern orthodox home in the United States and each generation of his family found a way to assist someone emigrating from Europe. "We knew we had to do something to make the world a better place—community service is how our family worked. We were very involved with our Judaism." Harvey was raised to be a lifelong Human Rights activist.

Judith Rosenstock’s Lithuanian grandparents immigrated to America before WWI but sadly, none of her Lithuanian relatives survived the Holocaust except for a cousin who had emigrated to Israel before the war. It was this surviving cousin who taught Judith about the Holocaust and she continues to carry her family's stories in her heart believing that they must be kept alive for future generations.

Both Harvey and Judith went on to become distinguished medical professionals serving the Houston community. Harvey attended Arizona State University for his undergraduate work and the University of Oregon Medical School where he received his M.D. in 1966. He pursued his psychiatric residency training at Baylor College of Medicine. Harvey became Board Certified in Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and practiced psychiatry - both clinical and forensic - for over 45 years. Judith received a B.S. from New York University, an M.S. in Special Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Ph.D. in Special Education Administration from Syracuse University. She attended lectures given by Anna Freud. During her career, Judith has been a classroom teacher, a school superintendent, a Consultant in school districts including The Bureau of Indian Affairs, an Assistant Professor at University of Houston Clear Lake, and she has advocated for the implementation of inclusion laws for children with disabilities in Washington D.C. She is a certified Counselor and still maintains her practice.

Over the years Harvey and Judith have collaborated in the treatment of patients and on major projects. Together they wrote a book about an adolescent which was optioned by Disney, Showtime, and Hallmark and became a movie, "Locked in Silence” staring Bonnie Bedelia. It earned four Emmy Nominations and was the Hallmark's Mother's Day Special. The Rosenstocks also co-authored the book Journey Through Divorce.

Through the years, the Rosenstock family has been deeply committed to Congregation Brith Shalom in Bellaire where Judith and Harvey became dear friends with the late Rabbi Moshe Cahana and his wife, Alice, a Holocaust Survivor and world-renowned Holocaust artist. Harvey and Judith helped edit the Cahanas' script for "The Last Days," which later became one of the five Survivor stories featured in the Steven Spielberg movie. Harvey and Judith were also instrumental in having a piece of Alice's artwork entitled, "No Names," placed in the Vatican. It took over a year, but Pope Benedict XVI gave the Cahanas and the Rosenstocks an audience on the patio of St. Peter's Square. The painting initially was hung at the entrance to the Sistine Chapel; ultimately "No Names" was permanently housed in the Museum of Vatican among the greatest painters of the 20th Century.

In memory of their close friend, the late Alice Cahana, and in deep appreciation for her art, Judith and Harvey are creating an endowment to support the conservation and preservation of Alice's lifelong work and changing exhibitions at Holocaust Museum Houston. "Judith and I believe that we must reach the next generation and teach them that if one person is hurting then we all are hurting. I want every observer of Alice's art to feel the absolute value of human life across all boundaries."

Holocaust Museum Houston is grateful to the Rosenstocks for sharing their families' poignant stories, for devoting their lives to being Upstanders and for celebrating Alice Cahana's transcending artwork to benefit future generations including their children Amara, Aaron, Ben, Marc and Debbie, and their spouses Jon, Amy and Sarah. This gift is also being made in honor of Harvey and Judith’s precious grandchildren Harrison, Madeline, Alex, Jacob, Hannah, Lily and Charlotte. The Rosenstocks look forward to becoming even more engaged with HMH through volunteer opportunities in the future to carry forth the Museum’s mission in our community.

Discover how you, like the Rosenstocks, can ensure future generations hear Survivors' stories and learn the dangers of hatred, prejudice and apathy. Contact Colton Larsen at clarsen@hmh.org or 713-527-1612 to learn more.