Rambam Mesivta honors a Holocaust survivor

The traditional Rambam Mesivta graduation ceremony is a rollicking affair interspersed with humorous skits, joking jibes and warm camaraderie in addition to awards for each student’s unique traits and scholarship in Jewish studies and Secular studies.

But this year’s event also presented a first time award: an honorary high school diploma to a Holocaust survivor who managed to rise above the adversity and horrors of his teenage years to raise a family and teach others about his experiences.

Jack Ratz, 86, sat alongside the seniors of Rambam’s graduating class on Monday night, at Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence, intently observing the antics of the seniors and the pride and warmth of the students and faculty as awards were handed out.

When his award was announced, he proudly walked to the stage and was helped up and then down the steps by his grandson, Brian Fine, who was himself a graduating senior of the Rambam class of 2013.

When Rosh Ha-Mesivta Rabbi Zev Friedman presented what Ratz termed “a genuine diploma,” the audience rose to their feet with thunderous applause and stood as Ratz kissed Rabbi Friedman and shook hands with the administrators.

Rabbi Friedman read the document: “Rambam Mesivta is proud to present this honorary diploma to Mr. Jack Ratz, Holocaust survivor, noted lecturer and author for inspiring and teaching so many. From the flames of devastation he created a spark of Torah, education and values that will ensure the continuity of our people. “

Friedman stated that chazal (our sages) say that it is “mandatory to pay respect to our elders” for their “life experience … they have a lot to teach us.”

He stressed the miraculous nature of Ratz’s survival of the Holocaust, how he lost his family but had the mettle to raise his own family, write a book — “Endless Miracles” — and lecture about his experiences, with the lesson that can be gleaned by his listeners that “if a Holocaust survivor can persevere then I can, too.”

“This is history,” said Jack Ratz. “Someday my grandson will say to his children ‘my grandfather graduated with me.’ How many can say that they went through hell? I actually got a real award. I hugged Rabbi Friedman.” He said that they danced after the ceremony and he sat on a chair in the middle of the circle of young men “like a chatan (groom)” at a wedding.

Ratz pointed out that he has been giving his book to Rambam graduates since 1998 and did so again this year. He said that one of the graduates turned to him and said that it was “an honor to sit next to you.”

“I’m very proud of myself,” said Ratz. “I don’t think this was ever done before. I’m very happy. I was able to live long enough and see all my grandkids graduate high school and go to college. It’s important to have an education. I didn’t have the opportunity. I had hell my whole teenage life.”

Rabbi Friedman said that Ratz was instrumental in changing Latvian policy in 2001 when Rambam held a rally outside the Latvian embassy to request extradition of three Nazis who took refuge in Australia after being deported from the United States, Canada and England.

Ratz joined in the rally with students from Rambam Mesivta. “He spoke upstairs to the consulate general about what happened to his family during the war,” explained Friedman.

The idea for the honorary diploma for Ratz came from the family.

“My brother Jeff got the ball rolling,” said Judy Fine, of West Hempstead, Brian’s mother and Jack Ratz’s daughter. She noted that a TV reporter after the event couldn’t understand and kept asking why he never went to high school. Said Fine, “Don’t you understand what this man went through?”

Fine said that the honor was “very touching, the boys enjoyed it.” It was done “with dignity and was very sweet. Brian loves his zayda (grandfather); he is the only surviving grandparent.”

“Whatever tribute and respect we can pay to Holocaust survivors in our generation it is our responsibility to do so, especially the new generation,” emphasized Rabbi Friedman.

He stressed the importance of sharing the joy and sorrow in the history and destiny of our people. He noted that those even 70 years younger

should feel and understand that survivors have a tremendous impact on all generations and understand what they went through and came and built families and contributed to what we have today.

He also pointed out the contrast between the honor that Jack Ratz received now and the dishonor of a recently discovered Nazi war criminal found in Minnesota.

“Good eventually triumphs,” said Friedman. “It’s another part of the lesson, although it sometimes takes a while.”

He added that this year one of the grandparents of the graduates was honored and that they are “contemplating doing this every year, to honor a holocaust survivor as part of the educational message to the graduates to know much of what they enjoy comes from sacrifices of previous generations.”