A Question Answered
Last week I wrote about the death of a mysterisous 92 year-old homeless Holocaust surivor who left $100,000 to Hebrew University. I was incredibly troubled by the story, about how little was known about this woman, and about her story being lost forever. Today, we learned her story.
Her name is Ida Fischer, and she was not homeless. A Daily News article, quoting her friends and neighbors, paints Ida Fischer as an "eccentric hippie" with a big heart. She was friendly, lively, and a lover of New York City.
I found this part of the story particularly great: "In her prime, Fischer was 'blessed with a beautiful face' and had 'more boyfriends than hair on your head,' Szanto said. 'Her famous saying was, 'Lay down, I want to talk to you.'" Talk about a Jewess with attitude!
Also discussed is her experience during WWII, her estrangement from her sister, and her slow decent into dementia in her last year. This, I'm guessing, might be related to why she was originally misrepresented as a "bag lady."
I feel better now that I know Ida Fischer's story. I am thankful that it was told and relieved that she will be remembered as the woman she really was.
*Photo courtesty of The Daily News.
Double your impact to amplify Jewish women’s stories—
All gifts matched up to $35,000
Before you close this article, please consider supporting the Jewish Women’s Archive and uplifting Jewish women’s voices.
At JWA, we preserve the voices of Jewish women and gender-expansive people past and present, share them freely with millions online, and empower a new generation of Jewish feminists to lead with courage, creativity, and conviction.
But none of this happens without you. JWA is an independent nonprofit— we rely on people, like you, who believe that history belongs to all of us and that the voices of Jewish women must remain powerful, and heard.
This month, a generous JWA board member will match every gift dollar for dollar—up to $35,000—through June 30. Your contribution goes twice as far right now.
Every contribution—no matter the size—helps us document, teach, and inspire through Jewish women’s stories.
It takes less than a minute to make a difference.
Thank you for being a part of the JWA community,
Judith Rosenbaum, CEO
