Senate Resolution No. 900

BY: Senator HARCKHAM

MOURNING the death of Esther Geizhals,
distinguished citizen and devoted member of her
community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavors
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and this
great Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Esther Geizhals of New Hyde Park, New York, died on
December 20, 2022 at the age of 94; and

WHEREAS, Born in Lodz, Poland in 1929, Esther Zucker faced adversity
as a Polish-Jew during the Nazi regime; at the age of 10, she and her
family were moved to the Lodz Ghetto, where they lived under terrible
conditions until 1944; and

WHEREAS, Esther Zucker survived Auschwitz extermination camp and was
liberated by the Russian Army; after the war, she returned to her
hometown to reconnect with her family and was fortunate to find her
father; and

WHEREAS, In 1947, Esther Zucker smuggled her way from Poland to the
American zone in Germany, where she met her husband, Benek Geizhals, and
gained the opportunity to come to the United States with a youth group;
and

WHEREAS, A truly inspiring individual, Esther Geizhals shared her
story of resilience in the book, We Lived On Miracles, and educated many
in her life about the tragedies the Jewish people endured during the
Holocaust; and

WHEREAS, Esther Geizhals is survived by her three children,
Benjamin, Michael, and Jacqueline, all of whom cherish her loving
memory; and

WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Esther Geizhals leaves behind a legacy which will long
endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all
she served and befriended; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Esther Geizhals, distinguished citizen and devoted
member of her community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Esther Geizhals.