WITH GUEST SPEAKER: JOHN PATTAN

Born in Budapest, Hungary –

Eyewitness to WWII, Antisemitism, and Communism

"I remember the river. I remember the fear. And I remember the silence."

At just 6 years old, John Pattan lived through one of the darkest chapters of European history: Nazi occupation, the Holocaust in Hungary, and the rise of Soviet communism.

Though not Jewish himself, John was a firsthand witness to the brutal persecution of Jews in Budapest, including the murder of innocent people along the Danube River—now memorialized by the haunting sculpture, The Shoes on the Danube Bank.

He and his mother narrowly escaped execution.

Now 87 years old, John joins us to share his personal memories, raw emotions, and hard-won insights about:

• Growing up in Budapest under Nazi terror

• Witnessing antisemitism and mass killings firsthand

• Living under postwar communist oppression

We'll see you on Shabbat.