Bezalel (Salik) Katz, a 101-year-old Holocaust survivor, fought in the ranks of the Red Army in World War II, was critically wounded, and moments before his death was declared in the morgue – he came back to life.
His family perished in the Holocaust, but he chose life. Since then, he has painted thousands of artworks, including these days in the nursing home where he resides.
His last wish was to finally receive public recognition and to exhibit his works to the general public.
Now, as part of the “A Survivor’s Wish” project by the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services and the Ezrat Achim organization, the exhibition “Flying Through Time” was launched for the first time in his life – a solo exhibition showcasing paintings, portraits, and landscapes he created over the years.
The life story of Bezalel (Salik) Katz, a 101-year-old Holocaust survivor, is a story of extraordinary resilience and creative power.
As a young man, he fought in the ranks of the Red Army and was critically wounded in battle. He was already placed in the morgue, and only the alertness of a doctor noticed signs of life and miraculously saved him.
After long months of recovery, he discovered that his family had perished in the Holocaust, but he found the strength to continue living and creating. Since then, he has not stopped painting.
Over the years, he created hundreds of portrait and landscape paintings, and continued to create even at the “Neve Horim” nursing home in Jerusalem, where he currently resides.
His last wish was to have an exhibition where his works could finally receive wide recognition.
As part of the “A Survivor’s Wish” project by the organization and the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services, the organization’s staff collected the paintings from various locations, gathered details about each artwork, and located a gallery in Jerusalem – and now, for the first time in his life, a solo exhibition, “Flying Through Time,” of his works has opened at the “Harmony” center in Jerusalem during the month of October.
Hama Israeli Shemiser, Senior Director of Housing Systems at the Veterans Administration:
The “A Wish” project is a particularly moving and significant initiative by the Ministry of Welfare and Ezrat Achim, which gives survivors the opportunity to fulfill dreams that remained only dreams.
This is an opportunity for Holocaust survivors whose childhood was interrupted by the war and who were subsequently required to build the country, families, and communities, to fulfill a wish.
This is much more than just a pleasant gesture – it is a deep recognition of their value as human beings and their right to self-fulfillment, even at a later stage of life.
The moment when a Holocaust survivor achieves the dream they have longed to fulfill for many years, and to see the smile and happiness on their face, is a very moving moment.”
Naomi Mizrahi, Director of the “A Survivor’s Wish” Project at Ezrat Achim:
“For us, it was a race against time.
To pull off a project like this in such a short period – it was an almost impossible task, and we are happy that Salik’s wish was ultimately fulfilled.
There is no greater satisfaction than seeing his great excitement when he got to fulfill his dream and see his wonderful works standing in the exhibition with his own eyes, it is truly a dream come true for him.
It is our duty to bring some solace to those who survived the terrible Holocaust, and we will continue to work and try to fulfill their wishes and dreams in the final years of their lives.”
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