We recorded this interview in 2018. Julius sadly passed away, February 8th, 2022. He was 102 years old. “Meet Julius a Holocaust survivor who later lived and passed away in Miami Beach. We met when I was blessed to chauffeur him to an event my former intern, Danielle Yablonka organized.
Julius was imprisoned at a few different camps, including Auschwitz, where his name became the number tattooed on his arm. Julius saw his wife in a concentration camp. He coincidentally met her later on after the war at a friend's house. They were shortly married after that. His love, at first sight, lasted until she passed away a few years ago.
After he received a few pay raises, he realized if he was worth so much to his employer, he should start his own business. Through the course of his life, Julius opened many bakeries and sold them. He fully retired to his Florida home, and his advice to everyone is to be kind. "You don't have to like me, but you shouldn't hate me. Hate should not exist in the English language. " In this episode, you will hear us talk about dating, business, family and so much more.
I hope this episode not only teaches you something, but I hope it inspires you to film an interview with someone you care about. They won’t always be here to tell their story. One year ago today, I was working a catering job and Zoomed into Julius’s funeral. I share this episode in his memory today. It can be hard to conceptualize how 6 million Jews, mostly with stories we'll never know passed. In his honor, I challenge you instead to think of Julius and his story 6 million times throughout your life, on the good and bad days. When One Grows, We All Grow.