Kibbutzniks who fled Hitler welcome 100th great-grandchild

shabbatiscoming

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 1:03 pm

http://www.ynetnews.com/articl......html

Despite the recent stormy and cold weather, a piece of joyous news warmed the hearts of the residents of Kibbutz Lavi in the Lower Galilee this week. The Mittwochs, Michael, 92, and Marion, 90, two of the founders of the kibbutz, celebrated the birth of a new great-grandchild – their 100th.

The Mittwochs were born in Germany, and both fled the country shortly after the Nazis' rise to power. After World War II, Michael, with a degree in chemistry from an English university, moved to Israel and joined the effort to help Holocaust survivors make their way to Israel. He was absorbed onto Kibbutz Kvutzat Yavne and that's where he met Marion, who also spent the war in England and immigrated to Israel under a forged visa. The two moved shortly afterwards to the Lower Galilee and were among the founders of Kibbutz Lavi, and also the first couple to wed at the young kibbutz.

Michael and Marion Mittwochs, center, surrounded by family and holding their 100th great-granchild. (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)
Michael and Marion Mittwochs, center, surrounded by family and holding their 100th great-granchild. (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)

The couple had five children – Hadassah, the widow of the late Rabbi Menachem Froman of Tekoa; a second daughter who lives in Kiryat Shmona; a son, Eli Ori, who lives in Shilo and is the grandfather of the 100th great-grandson; a second son, a professor of astrophysics at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology who lives in Mitzpe Netofa in the Galilee; and a third daughter, who is the principal of a school in Gush Etzion for children with special needs.

On Tuesday, Eli and his wife, Ofra, arrived at the kibbutz with their son, Gadi, his wife, Noa, and their five children to present the 100th great-grandchild to great-grandfather Michael and great-grandmother Marion. The boy was given the name Dagan Raz, after the late Major Dr. Dagan Wertman, 32, a Golani Brigade doctor who was at officers' school with Gadi and was killed during Operation Cast Lead.

Gadi, the happy father and Michael and Marion's grandson, lives with his family in Ofra. "Dagan Raz is our fifth child, and it's amazing that our grandfather has raised such a magnificent family," he said.

"This is our answer to Hitler, darn him," said Michael, the great-grandfather. "He tried to wipe us out and here we have brought the 100th great-grandchild into the Covenant of Abraham."

"It's not just the number," added great-grandmother Marion. "All the children and grandchildren live in Israel and everyone wants to contribute to the country. We feel we have established a really big tribe."

"This is the essence of Zionism," concluded their son, Eli. "Mom and Dad underwent severe hardships early on in their lives. They established a kibbutz and today we are all proud of their 100th great-grandchild."

yo'ma

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 7:22 pm

Mazal tov, k'h! Thank you for posting.

sourstix

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 7:30 pm

wow! so so inspiring! I like that michael said'this is our answer to hitler' it warms my heart, that we as jews as oppressed as we become still have dignity. and still have the best ways to cope with whatever challenges we face as opposed to the world were they retaliate in anger.

amother

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 8:47 pm

I have to say my grandma has somewhere between 150 and 200 great grandchildren and even great-great grandchildren. I think there are probably many like that but they don't advertise it.

greenfire

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 9:28 pm

that is a kool story ... thanx for sharing ...
not many people are zoche to have so many offspring - let alone live to see them ... boruch hashem for survival & continuance - despite their hardships of the holocaust

etky

Wed, Jan 21 2015, 12:37 am

I saw this piece the other day and was very moved by this couple's story.
Look how much their efforts and accomplishments and those of their offspring have fertilized and enriched Israeli society in such a range of areas...
To me their story is emblematic of how the Jewish people have managed to survive throughout the ages despite unimaginable adversity. It's important to cover such human interest stories to keep this awareness alive.

amother

Wed, Jan 21 2015, 12:43 am

My grandmother (a survivor, too) has 14 kids ka"h. I keep losing count of the number of grandkids but it's more than 100.

Boruch Hashem, a nekuma in Hitler.

PinkFridge

Fri, Jan 23 2015, 10:16 am

amother wrote:

I have to say my grandma has somewhere between 150 and 200 great grandchildren and even great-great grandchildren. I think there are probably many like that but they don't advertise it.

And I am as moved to hear of this and the amother directly above as I am the OP. May your grandmother continue to see nachas till120!