On 15th of June 2023 the headquarters of Helping Hand Coalition in Caesarea opened its doors for a group of 54 Holocaust survivors from Lod under the leadership of an amazing lady Rachel Shapiro. The Shalom house was hosted by Andre and Bozena Gasiorowski, Co-Founders of Helping Hand Coalition, and attended by dear guests from “Back to Zion” organization from Germany and its chairman Alexander Dietze, who shared the story of his life when his grandfather decided to hand over to him the medals received from Nazis and it became obvious that the Holocaust was a part of his own family.

From the first to the last minute the team of German guests, volunteers and HHC team were serving and welcoming the precious elderly people with a heart full of love and affection, tenderness and honor, making music and lunch for them. Andre Gasiorowsky shared the stories of his family being saved themselves as Jewish and Bozena’s family saving the lives of Jewish families in the time of Holocaust. 

The culmination of the meeting was surrounded with an atmosphere of repentance and forgiveness, sorrow for the past and acceptance. Everyone’s eyes filled with tears when a young pastor from Germany bowed his knees and fulfilled the dream of all his life – to come before the people of Israel and ask for forgiveness on behalf of all the German nation. But the power of forgiveness let the partakers of this incredible event leave back home with a healed heart and a cute sweet present in hand.

Click here to see the pictures from the event.