ByJosh Jackman, Josh Jackman
1 min read
A Holocaust survivor and her daughter have received the Freedom of the City of London for their work educating tens of thousands of schoolchildren about the Shoah.
Lady Zahava Kohn, who spent 20 months in Bergen-Belsen, travels around Britain with Hephzibah Rudofsky to present secondary school children with the perspectives of a survivor and her daughter.
Ms Rudofsky said she felt "a sense of pride" to be part of the ceremony, which takes place in London's Guildhall.
"Being recognised with my mother makes this more significant. The schools programme is about my mother's story - an ordinary family thrown into extraordinary circumstances during the war. Together we have been speaking in schools around the UK, and in Germany, for the past six years. We have addressed thousands of students from diverse ethnicities and religions.
"After my grandmother died, my mother was clearing out her room and found a suitcase containing papers she had kept in Westerbork camp in Holland and in Bergen-Belsen. It was only after my mother discovered the case that she spoke about this period of her life.
"I asked my mother if she would speak about her experiences in a public arena. My mother is a private woman - when we started she just spoke during a Q&A session. But now it's a full presentation, a conversation and interaction between us.
"One cannot overstate the impact and importance of survivor testimony, which unfortunately won't be possible for much longer."
The pair joined illustrious names such as Benjamin Disraeli and Nelson Mandela in winning the award, which was first handed out in 1237.