By Mary Eshet
I met Jackie, Todd and Wendy Fishman on a steamy June day to hear about their recent trip to Vienna as guests of the Jewish Welcome Service of Vienna. With lots of lively interruptions and debates, they painted a picture of an amazing journey that no one would have dreamed possible in 1945, or even more recently. Their story is inextricably woven with that of their mother’ s.
Dr. Susan Cernyak-Spatz was a Holocaust survivor, scholar, educator, and actress – and the Charlotte community was fortunate to call her one of its own from the time she moved here for a position at UNCC in 1972 to when she died in 2019. She taught German and French language as well as literature and was instrumental in the creation of the Holocaust Studies programs at the university. She left a strong, vibrant legacy through her memoirs, videos, and teachings. Her legacy includes her three children – Jackie, Todd and Wendy – who also made their ways to Charlotte.
Susan was a longtime supporter of The Stan Greenspon Holocaust Education Center( SGC), and the center is honored to include her survivor testimony as a resource available to educators teaching about the Holocaust. Susan dedicated years to sharing her life story with thousands of students because“ To quote Primo Levi,” she often said,“ If we forget the Holocaust, it can happen again, and next time it does not have to be the Jews.” She continues to inspire the SGC’ s work today. Her daughter Jackie also picked up the mantle, teaching Holocaust studies when she worked at Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and Charlotte Latin for many years. After retiring, Jackie worked with the SGC in its early years, and continues to share her mother’ s story with many students.
In 1993, Susan took her three children on a journey that retraced her steps during the Holocaust. They visited Vienna, where Susan lived with her parents until 1938, when Germany annexed Austria. The family fled to Prague, and Susan and her mother were later sent to Theresienstadt, a camp near Prague. In 1943, Susan was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. It was important to Susan that her children not only know about her experience, but actually visit the sites of the atrocities.
“ She was able to point to a bunk in Auschwitz to bring home her actual experience,” said Todd.
Susan’ s three children span a 16-year age range. Jackie and Todd shared that their mother talked very little about her experience in the Holocaust when they were growing up. Wendy, the youngest, began to hear more of the stories throughout her life. It was through the 1993 journey that Susan was able to share the depth of her suffering, resilience and fight.
More than three decades after their original visit, and seven years after Susan’ s passing, Jackie, Todd and Wendy returned together for a journey shaped as much by memory as by place. They first heard about the Jewish Welcome Service of Vienna in 2023 when Wendy gained Austrian citizenship. At the time, she took advantage of the expedited Austrian citizenship available to descendants of Austrian Holocaust survivors.
When she received her new passport, she also received a packet of information from the Jewish Welcome Service, sharing sites they hoped she would visit. Founded in 1980, with the mission“ to demonstrate the presence of an active, self-confident Jewish community after the Shoah,” the organization acts as an ambassador for Jewish culture in Austria, seeking to build bridges for the future.
Months later, in late 2025, Wendy noticed an email in her Spam folder titled“ Invitation to Vienna.” When she opened it, she discovered an invitation from the Jewish Welcome Service for all three siblings to visit Vienna that March. The invitation required a quick turnaround, so the siblings came together to
The Charlotte Jewish News- August 2026- Page 11
Vienna Extends a Warm Welcome to Charlotte Survivor Descendants
The Fishman Siblings
A New Generation of Leadership
By Zachary Tabachnikoff As the school year approaches, Charlotte’ s BBYO community is already looking ahead. This spring, all four local chapters elected new boards, and their presidents have spent the summer preparing for a year of programming, leadership development and Jewish engagement.
For many Jewish teens in Charlotte, BBYO is more than just an organization, it’ s a second home. It is where friendships are formed, confidence is built, and future community leaders begin their journeys. The newly elected chapter presidents are eager to continue that tradition while helping their chapters reach new heights. Four Leaders, Four Visions Hank Greenberg AZA will be led by Wyatt P, who said,“ This chapter means so much to me. It has given me countless opportunities, lifelong friendships, and experiences that have helped shape who I am today.” As president, he hopes to create the same welcoming environment that made a lasting impact on him when he first joined. He is especially looking forward to conventions and representing Charlotte throughout the region.
At Chai Chaverim BBG, Lily M is excited to continue giving back to a chapter of great importance to her.“ Honestly, Chai has changed my life,” Lily said. After serving on the board for the past year and a half, she is eager to help guide the chapter’ s next chapter while creating opportunities for younger members to become leaders themselves.
Ohavim BBG’ s new N’ siah, Chloe P., credits the women who came before her with inspiring her to pursue a leadership role of her own.“ Their dedication, passion and commitment to our chapter motivated me to step forward as a leader,” Chloe said. This year, she hopes to strengthen sisterhood within the chapter discuss logistics.
“ It took us about five minutes to decide – of course we would go!” said Jackie.“ It was a generous invitation, as the Jewish Welcome Service funded the whole trip, including airfare and accommodations.
They stayed at Hotel Stefanie in central Vienna. At 425 years old, the four-star hotel is the oldest in Vienna. The itinerary for the trip was robust but also left free time to explore the city. Planned activities included visiting the Jewish Museum, the National Library, the State Hall, City Hall, a walking tour of Jewish Vienna, cemeteries, and the Museum for the Child( in remembrance of the Kindertransport).
It was a different sort of tour than the trip they experienced with their mother. The 1993 trip was singularly Holocaust-focused. This agenda included memorials and acknowledgment of Austria’ s part in the Holocaust, but also provided a view of Vienna’ s rich culture and traditions.
“ They wanted us to feel welcome and at home in Vienna,” said Wendy.“ After all, had the Holocaust not happened, it could have been our home.”
Among many impactful moments, several stories the siblings shared were especially meaningful.
• At City Hall, where they were addressed by a young councilman, they were struck by the presence of the Israeli flag standing alongside the Austrian flag. It was a visual message of reconciliation and bridge building.
• One of the most notable changes since their 1993 trip was the addition of the Wall of Names, completed in 2021. Reminiscent of the Vietnam Memorial, it is a 200-meter elliptical wall containing more than 65,000 names of Austrians who were murdered in the Holocaust from 1938 to 1945. Inscriptions in English, Austrian, and Hebrew describe those who were murdered and note the participation
in the atrocities of“ countless Austrians.”
“ The Wall was very impactful, and the direct language about those murdered and the participation of Austrians was cathartic and meaningful,” said Jackie.
The national archives were thorough and meticulous, and the siblings could see records of their grandparents and other relatives. The national library was memorable for its architecture, ornate decor and, of course, innumerable volumes.
Even as they participated in a program designed to make amends and build bridges, there were stark reminders of the challenging world we live in. Some 29 individuals were invited on the trip, but only 14 could join. The other 15 were to come from Israel, and could not travel due to the war. Jackie, Todd and Wendy all agreed they did not feel the threat of antisemitism as they toured the city, but the presence of two former Mossad officers providing security for the group was a visual reminder of the ever-present risk.
“ Austria’ s efforts to acknowledge its complicity in the Holocaust continue to evolve, and this trip for Susan’ s family represents a positive step in that evolution,” said Judy LaPietra, executive director of the SGC.“ The SGC remains committed to the important work of sharing Susan’ s continuing story and advancing Holocaust and antisemitism education.”
“ It felt like a full-circle event,” said Jackie.“ Our family was thrown out of Vienna, and now we were invited back as guests. I felt like we were bearing witness – we exist and we are still here!”
For more information, visit stangreensponcenter. org and create meaningful experiences for members. This summer, she was particularly excited to attend BBYO Kallah to deepen both her leadership skills and Jewish learning.
At Mickey Barak Aberman AZA, Reid P. is ready to lead the chapter he credits with helping him find his place in the world.“ BBYO gave me a home, and I feel a responsibility to create the same experience for others,” Reid said. Following years of involvement at the chapter, regional and international levels, he hopes to expand opportunities for brotherhood and leadership. As fall recruitment and chapter programming get underway, Charlotte BBYO’ s newly elected leaders are already getting to work. Their example reflects the enduring role BBYO plays in shaping the next generation of Jewish leaders in Charlotte.
To learn more about BBYO, please contact Zachary Tabachnikoff at ztabachnikoff @ bbyo. org.