Holocaust Survivor – Rose Price

Remembering God’s Chosen People!

By Helen Jesze, 28^th January 2022

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

Deuteronomy 14:2

“And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods? For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O Lord, have become their God.”

2 Samuel 7: 23 + 24

“I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:3 NKJV

Yesterday, 27th January, was Holocaust Memorial Day, when the world remembered how Nazi Germany had implemented “The Final Solution”— the goal of which was to exterminate all Jews in Europe – from 1939 to 1945. Tragically, almost 6 million Jewish people died in the Holocaust. To remember this genocide, the UN designated Jan. 27th each year as a remembrance day; this was the date of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland, where 1.1 million people – most of them Jews – had been murdered.

In Israel, less than 170,000 Holocaust survivors are still alive today, and there are survivors in other countries too, each one having terrible stories to tell, of the suffering they went through. Yet there are people who are “Holocaust deniers” who are adamant that this never happened. How absurd! George and I have met one of these “survivors” – Rose Price, when she came to speak at the church we attended in Germany, and George interpreted for her.

Rose was born into a strict Orthodox family in Poland. When the Nazis marched in, all the Jews in her village were captured. She endured many types of torture, escaping death several times, and was the only one of her family to survive, spending time in 5 concentration camps.

A deep hatred against Germans and Christians grew in her heart. A Roman Catholic priest in her village used to beat her on the head with his silver cross and call her a “Christ killer”, saying that Jesus hated her! In her understanding, she believed that if Hitler, the head of the ‘Christian’ country of Germany wanted to kill them, then Jesus must be the reason for her suffering. After the war she emigrated to the USA, married and had 4 children, was very active in good works, and became the leader of her Jewish synagogue, although by this time, she had become an atheist, denying the existence of God.

This dramatically changed when one of her daughters and later her husband, were born again, telling her they had found the Jewish Messiah! Rose was furious but went to a meeting with them, where for the first time, she met real Christians. She shut herself up in a room for several days to read the Christians’ Bible. Jesus revealed himself to her and she also became a completed or Messianic Jew.

Rose was asked to give her testimony in Berlin, Germany, at the large stadium gathering “Jesus Christ – the hope of the 1980’s”. As the plane approached the airport, the old hate took hold of her, and she began to panic. She had vowed never to go to Germany or speak German again, and here she was, not just going there, but was about to speak to thousands of these very people! After a great struggle, Rose forgave her tormentors and the German nation, and a great peace entered her heart. When she gave her testimony, there were many tears and people came who asked for forgiveness. God had triumphed and till her passing in 2015, he used her testimony and life to bless many people.

We have met several wonderful Jewish people. One of these was Arie Ben Israel (picture below). His family lived in Russia and because they were Jewish, they were banned to live in Siberia. It was a very terrible time, but when, at 12 years old, Arie’s father died in his arms, he whispered a secret to him, “Arie, Jesus Christ is the Jewish Messiah! But don’t tell anybody!”

Arie was released and went to Israel, living as a strict Orthodox Jew. He and his bride flew to Munich in Germany, for their honeymoon. One day he was walking down the street when he heard singing and people playing guitars. He went nearer and realised it was a group of Christians. Before he could turn away, one of the young women came and spoke to him. He told her he was a Jew and wanted nothing to do with them. The girl’s eyes filled with tears and she told him how sorry she was that her nation had caused the Jews such suffering, and asked his forgiveness. Arie spat at her in disgust, and walked away.

But he could not get away from those pleading eyes, and he went into a book shop and asked the assistant to find a book for him about the meaning of Life. She gave him a New Testament! His wife was away for a few hours and as he read and read, he was captured by the figure of Jesus. The Lord revealed himself to Arie as the Messiah, and when his wife came home he told her. His new-found faith was immediately tested, for she said, “You must choose between Jesus or me! I’ll not be married to a Christian!” Arie chose JESUS!

On their return to Israel they were divorced, and later God led Arie to come to live in Germany. He began to give his testimony and preach in churches, often preaching in the church we attended, and married a German Christian lady. He started an international ministry called “Ruf zur Versoehnung” (“Call to Reconciliation”) between Germany and Israel, and had a very fruitful ministry.

You may think, well, we have moved on since the Holocaust, that’s not so important nowadays and could never happen again. True, it was many years ago yet Anti-Semitism is unfortunately alive and well and taking root in many hearts and minds, on the up and up, worldwide. We often hear of anti-Jewish acts of sabotage or hate. Just this week, vandals painted swastikas on the side of St Mary’s Church, Melton Mowbray, in the UK, shortly before Holocaust Memorial Day.

The above Bible verses show us that God chose the nation of Israel and made covenants with them, which will last for ever. Our Saviour was born a Jew, from the lineage of King David; right through the Old Testament there are many prophecies about him coming. We as Gentiles have been grafted into the ‘vine’, not the other way round! Many Christians and denominations have not realised this, or believe in “Replacement Theology”, which says that the Church of Jesus Christ has replaced Israel.

This is unscriptural and God still has a plan for the physical nation of Israel, much of which will be unfolded in the “End Times” in which we are living. We may not agree with every decision their government makes, but as Christians, let’s pray for the millions of Israelis, sons and daughters of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to find Jesus Christ as their Messiah, and as we bless God’s Chosen People in any way he shows us – prayer, financially, visiting The Land – he will bless us in return!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we would remember your Chosen People at this time. Forgive us when we, or our nation have persecuted Israel in some way. Give us a greater revelation of your heart and love for them, let it spill over into our hearts.

Thank you for all those who have already found your Son as their Messiah, and we believe you are working by your Holy Spirit in many more. We know from Zechariah 12:10 + 11 that the day will come when “they will look on him whom they have pierced” – Jesus, the Man with the nail-prints — and will mourn that they did not recognise him. But Father, by faith, we see multitudes of Israelis accepting him now as their personal Messiah!

We pray also for the peace of Jerusalem and the whole of the country, as many rockets and weapons of mass destruction are shot and levelled at them, that your divine hand will bring protection and cause confusion to come to their enemies.

We ask these things in the Name of Jeshua, Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen!