logo
Holocaust survivor in Michigan who supported immigrants, Palestinians dies at 87

Holocaust survivor in Michigan who supported immigrants, Palestinians dies at 87

Yahoo07-02-2025

A few months after Donald Trump became president for the first time, Rene Lichtman marched down Woodward Avenue in Pontiac along with other protesters holding up a sign that read "No Human Being is Illegal."
"You have to resist," he told the Free Press on the first day of May in 2017 at a rally in support of immigrants opposing raids by federal immigration agents.
As a Holocaust survivor aided by a Catholic family in France who took him in, Lichtman drew upon his life experiences as a Jewish child during World War II to guide his views, becoming a noted activist in Michigan. He often demonstrated in support of immigrants and Palestinians, speaking to students and others about the Holocaust.
Lichtman died last week at the age of 87 in Troy while in hospice care.
He had recently lived in Southfield and West Bloomfield and is survived by his wife, four children and four grandchildren, according to the Ira Kaufman Chapel in Southfield, family and friends. He died on Jan. 28, his funeral was held Saturday and religious and family services continued until Monday at a home in West Bloomfield. He was buried at Beth Moses Cemetery in Roseville.
At his funeral and in online tributes over the past week, the Jewish activist was remembered as an outspoken man whose views and ideas are once again relevant today amid concern over Gaza and immigration enforcement as Trump starts a second term. He was a controversial figure, drawing criticism at times from others in the Jewish community who objected to his frequent criticisms of Israel that invoked the Holocaust. In December 2023, he laid down in the street, with police around him, in front of The Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills to bring attention to Israel's attacks in Gaza, holding a sign that read: "Jews and Allies say: Never Again for Anyone." The sign referred to the Holocaust, a controversial comparison that led to the Holocaust center dropping him as a speaker for its Survivor Talk Sundays series, according to a report in the Forward, a Jewish media outlet.
"One of the true greats of his generation," Rabbi Alana Alpert of Congregation T'chiyah in Ferndale said of Lichtman at his funeral in Southfield. "It is upon us to continue fighting for the world he so wanted for us."
Alpert spoke about how Lichtman being helped by a Christian family during the Holocaust helped him work across different cultures and faiths to fight for social justice.
"For all the trauma that he experienced, he received the gift from the Lepage family of the understanding that cross-ethnic solidarity is possible, that another world is possible," said Alpert, one of the founders of Detroit Jews for Justice. "Rene came through with a powerful belief in humanity, and a commitment of 'never again, for anyone."
Lichtman was born in 1937 in Paris, France to Jewish migrants from Poland. Lichtman's father was killed by the Nazis while serving in the French military after Germany invaded France, according to oral histories. A Catholic family in France had sheltered him for a few years after his mother had to go into hiding; they were later reunited and moved to the United States in 1950 when he was 12 years old, according to an obituary by Ira Kaufman Chapel.
Those childhood experiences shaped Lichtman's views as he became a frequent speaker in Michigan on the Holocaust and was one of the leaders of the World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust and the Hidden Children and Child Survivors of Michigan. Outside of his activism, Licthman was an abstract painter and had worked at Beaumont Hospital in instructional technology.
In 2019, he spoke at a 'Close the Camps' rally in front of The Zekelman Holocaust Center, speaking out against U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement and immigrant detention camps. One sign at the rally equated ICE to Nazis. On the other side of the street, others in the Jewish community and allies rejected such a comparison as offensive, holding up signs that read immigrant "Detention centers are not concentration camps" and "Stop exploiting the Holocaust."
Licthman "was a good man, a 'mensch,'" Charles Silow, executive vice president of the World Federation of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants, and co-president of Children of Holocaust-Survivors Association In Michigan, wrote in an online tribute, using a Yiddish-language word to describe a man of honor. "He was a pioneer in bringing awareness to the importance of what Hidden Children and Child Survivors of the Holocaust endured. Child Holocaust survivors had memories of what they went through, their experiences of persecution and those who rescued them have become an important part of Holocaust education and remembrance. Rene spoke of his experiences to countless groups and helped bring awareness of the importance of speaking out against antisemitism and social injustice."
When Detroit Jews for Justice was founded 10 years ago, Alpert spoke with Lichtman, whom she said was supportive of the group as well as Black Lives Matter and other protest movements. She was working on an op-ed objecting to then-Gov. Rick Snyder's call to halt the influx of Syrian refugees, asking him to bless her to make connections with the Nazi Holocaust in her piece.
He agreed, telling her that the point of Holocaust education should be to make it relevant for the current eras we live in and other causes.
Alpert said he told her: "There will always be some Jews, survivors who will say 'This is not the same. Nothing can compare to' and they continue to play the hierarchy of suffering game, leading them to always find reasons to do nothing. They find reasons to keep the Shoah like some kind of museum artifact, pure, on a shelf, but gathering dust. The Shoah and Holocaust memory must have relevance to today, to conditions we face. We experienced being blocked. ... We should not allow others to also be blocked from entering."
His family has asked that any donations in his memory be given to four groups, which include some Jewish organizations and a group that helps immigrants.
Free Press photographer David Rodriguez Munoz, The Monroe News and The Times Herald contributed to this report.
Contact Niraj Warikoo:nwarikoo@freepress.com or X @nwarikoo
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Rene Lichtman, Michigan Holocaust survivor and activist, dies at 87

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says Hamas attack has killed multiple aid workers
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says Hamas attack has killed multiple aid workers

Yahoo

time16 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says Hamas attack has killed multiple aid workers

Multiple aid workers were killed after a bus was attacked in Gaza on Wednesday night, according to a US-backed humanitarian aid organization which accused Hamas of carrying out the assault. Hamas has yet to respond to the allegations. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial US and Israeli-backed aid initiative, said that a bus carrying more than two dozen of its team members was attacked by Hamas at around 10 p.m. local time. 'We are still gathering facts, but what we know is devastating: there are at least five fatalities, multiple injuries, and fear that some of our team members may have been taken hostage,' GHF said in a statement. The group was en route to a distribution center in the area west of Khan Younis, GHF said, adding further details would be provided once they became known. 'We condemn this heinous and deliberate attack in the strongest possible terms,' the GHF said in a statement. The GHF also accused Hamas of repeatedly threatening the organization in recent days. On Sunday, Hamas media said its forces have 'full authority and mandate to strike decisively against any entity or individual collaborating with the enemy's plans or with any rogue, criminal, or traitorous elements that violate the law and the traditions of our people.' 'All agents, thieves, and armed criminal gangs are considered legitimate targets for the resistance and its security apparatus,' the militant group said. The GHF was established amid Israeli accusations that Hamas is stealing aid in Gaza and profiting off its sale but the organization has been controversial from the get-go and criticized by multiple international aid agencies. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains desperate. Restrictions imposed by the Israeli military on aid routes, ongoing airstrikes, a lack of security and the continuous displacement of tens of thousands of people are aggravating an already alarming situation, according to the United Nations and other aid agencies. The supplies that do get in risk getting looted and only a fraction of what is needed is getting in. Multiple Palestinians have been killed by gunfire near aid distribution sites since GHF began operations. This is a developing story and will be updated.

Israel deports Greta Thunberg after Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized
Israel deports Greta Thunberg after Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized

Yahoo

time40 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Israel deports Greta Thunberg after Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel deported activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. Speaking upon arrival in Paris en route to her home country of Sweden, Thunberg called for the release of the other activists who were detained aboard the Madleen. She described a 'quite chaotic and uncertain' situation during the detention. The conditions they faced 'are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now," she said. The trip was meant to protest Israeli restrictions on aid to Gaza's population of over 2 million people after 20 months of war, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group behind the journey. "We were well aware of the risks of this mission," Thunberg said. 'The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid.' She said the activists would continue trying to get aid to Gaza. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump called Thunberg 'a young angry person' and recommended she take anger management classes. "I think the world need a lot more young angry women," Thunberg said Tuesday in response. Thunberg said it appeared she was headed back to Sweden, hadn't had access to a phone in a few days and wanted a shower. The activists were held separately and some had trouble accessing lawyers, she added. Asked why she agreed to deportation, she said, 'Why would I want to stay in an Israeli prison more than necessary?' Thunberg called on supporters to ask their governments 'to demand not only humanitarian aid being let into Gaza but most importantly an end to the occupation and an end to the systemic oppression and violence that Palestinians are facing on an everyday basis.' She said recognizing Palestine is 'the very, very, very minimum' that governments can do to help. Other activists face deportation Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on the Madleen. Israeli naval forces seized the boat without incident early Monday about 200 kilometers (125 miles) off Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, along with rights groups, said Israel's actions in international waters were a violation of international law. Israel rejects that charge, saying such ships intend to breach what it argues is a lawful naval blockade of Gaza. Israel viewed the ship as a publicity stunt, calling it the 'selfie yacht' with a 'meager' amount of aid that amounted to less than a truckload. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said three activists, including Thunberg, had been deported along with a journalist. It said it had encouraged some to do it so they could speak freely about their experiences. 'Their detention is unlawful, politically motivated and a direct violation of international law,' the coalition said in a statement. Eight other passengers refused deportation and are being detained at Givon prison in Ramle. On Tuesday, Israeli authorities heard their cases at a detention tribunal. 'We argued today, and that also was emphasized by all the activists, that their goal is to enter humanitarian aid to Gaza, to end the famine and to end a genocide in Gaza," said Lubna Tuma, a lawyer with legal rights group Adalah, who is representing the activists. "Any violation or any prohibition to entering the humanitarian aid to Gaza is deepening the complicity of Israel in the famine in Gaza.' Legal representatives for the group said that because Israeli seized their vessel in international waters and forcibly transported them to Israeli territory, Israel had no authority to detain or deport them. 'Pirate attack' Sabine Haddad, a spokeswoman for Israel's Interior Ministry, said the activists who were being deported Tuesday had waived their right to appear before a judge. The others have a hearing with the judge and will be held for 96 hours before being deported, she said. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was among the passengers. She has previously been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. It was not clear whether she was being immediately deported or detained. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said one of the detained French activists signed an expulsion order and would leave Tuesday. The other five refused. He said all the activists received consular visits. Sergio Toribio, a Spanish activist, slammed Israel's actions after he arrived in Barcelona. 'It is unforgivable, it is a violation of our rights. It is a pirate attack in international waters," he told reporters. Blockade of Gaza Palestinians in Gaza are now almost completely dependent on international aid. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population. During the 20-month-long war in Gaza, Israel has restricted and sometimes blocked all aid into the territory, including food, fuel and medicine. Experts say that policy has pushed Gaza toward famine. Israel asserts that Hamas siphons off the aid to bolster its rule. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war and took 251 hostages, most released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas still holds 55 hostages, more than half believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants but has said women and children make up most of the dead. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory's population. ___ Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris, Teresa Medrano in Madrid, Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem and Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at Isaac Scharf And Areej Hazboun, The Associated Press

Self-proclaimed 'Jew hater' pleads guilty after targeting victims at NYC protests
Self-proclaimed 'Jew hater' pleads guilty after targeting victims at NYC protests

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Self-proclaimed 'Jew hater' pleads guilty after targeting victims at NYC protests

A New York man charged with federal hate crimes after repeatedly assaulting Jewish counter-protesters at anti-Israel protests in New York City between 2024 and 2025, pleaded guilty to one count as part of an agreement during a court hearing Wednesday. Tarek Bazrouk, 20, appeared Wednesday afternoon for a status hearing in federal court, where he was facing three counts of committing hate crimes for allegedly targeting and assaulting Jewish people at three NYC protests related to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. A grand jury indicted him last month. During the status hearing, Bazrouk pleaded guilty to one count as part of an agreement in which a superseding information document was presented. In essence, the document replaces a previously filed indictment in a criminal case. A bearded Bazrouk appeared in court wearing a tan jumpsuit and black eyeglasses and shuffled through papers while waiting for the hearing to get underway. Rise In Antisemitic Extremism Fuels Wave Of Terror Plots In The United States Since 2020 Judge Richard M. Berman presided over the hearing and began by saying he was informed Bazrouk was planning to plead guilty. After going through some documents and verifying with Bazrouk that was the route he wanted to take, Berman asked him if he wished to plead guilty. Read On The Fox News App "I wish to plead guilty," Bazrouk said. Bazrouk then read a statement saying, between April 2024 and January 2025, he assaulted others because of their identity. He further admitted to punching someone Jan. 6. "I am very sorry," Bazrouk said. Boulder Terror Attack Latest In Antisemitic Incidents Rising Across Us In 2025 He continued, explaining he is Palestinian and started to protest as a way to express outrage over Israel's actions in Gaza. Bazrouk apologized to his family and community before the judge asked if he was pleading to the superseding information. "Yes, your honor," Bazrouk said. The plea was then accepted, and he was found guilty. Sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 1. Boulder, Colorado Suspected Terror Attack Suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman Faces Murder, Assault, Other Charges Bazrouk was arrested for three instances of assaulting Jewish people but "remained undeterred and quickly returned to using violence to target Jews in New York City," according to U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York. The first instance took place April 15, 2024, when Bazrouk, who the DOJ said was wearing a green headband "typically worn by Hamas terrorists," allegedly attended a protest outside the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan. Virginia Man Charged With Planning 'Mass Casualty' Attack At Nyc Israeli Consulate He was arrested by the NYPD for lunging at a group of pro-Israel protesters, the DOJ said, and kicked a Jewish college student in the stomach while being taken to a patrol vehicle. The person he kicked was standing near Jewish protesters wearing kippahs, waving Israeli flags and singing Jewish songs. Bazrouk allegedly assaulted another Jewish student Dec. 9, 2024, during a protest near a university in upper Manhattan, the DOJ said. The second victim was with his brother – both were wearing kippahs – and had an Israeli flag draped across his shoulders while singing Jewish songs. Bazrouk was accused of stealing their flag and running off. The victim and his brother chased him through the crowd to retrieve it, and after they got it back, Bazrouk allegedly sneaked up beside the second victim and punched him in the face. At the beginning of this year, on Jan. 6, Bazrouk allegedly committed his third assault on a Jewish person at a protest in Manhattan. The third victim had an Israeli flag draped around his shoulders and was wearing a hat with the flag and a chain with the Star of David. Bazrouk was wearing a keffiyeh on his face when he allegedly "made contact" with the third victim's shoulder and wrapped his foot around his ankle. When the victim attempted to push him away, Bazrouk allegedly cursed at him and punched him in the nose. Law enforcement obtained warrants to search a cellphone allegedly used by Bazrouk, which revealed an "antisemitic bias" and "support for anti-Jewish terrorist groups, including Hamas," the DOJ said, citing court documents. Bazrouk allegedly identified himself as a "Jew hater" in text messages, called Jewish people "worthless" and said "Allah" wanted "us [to] rid of [Jews]," among other vulgar statements, according to the documents. The documents added he told a friend he was "mad happy" when he found out family members overseas were part of Hamas. The DOJ described his phone as "littered with pro-Hamas and pro-Hizballah (sic) propaganda." Fox News Digital's Kirill Clark and Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this article source: Self-proclaimed 'Jew hater' pleads guilty after targeting victims at NYC protests

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store