17 April 2018

On Sunday August 26, the Hana Greenfield Memorial Swim will take place in the Czech town of Kolín – in memory of one of its few Holocaust survivors.

Hana learnt to swim in the river in Kolín as a child and would have swum alongside both her Jewish and non-Jewish friends and neighbours.

After the Nazis invaded her homeland, she was deported to Terezin, and then on to Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. She was liberated from Bergen-Belsen and moved to England and then Israel, becoming an author, publisher and educator. Hana died in 2014.

Liberal Judaism has formed strong links with the town after Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue (NPLS) took on a Czech Scroll that originated there, organising many trips and events throughout the last 40 years.

During a visit in 2015, NPLS member Jane Drapkin met Meira, Hana’s daughter, and after bonding over a love of swimming they decided to organise a charity swim in Hana’s honour.

Jane said: “Swimming in the river in Kolín was a common pastime in the early 20th century, but stopped in the 1930s when industrialisation meant the water became very polluted. Since the 1990s there has been a massive clean-up campaign, and the water is now clean enough for swans, fish and even people to swim in again.

“This swim will almost certainly be the first time Jews and non-Jews will have swum together in the river at Kolín for 85 years. Please do come and be part of this historic event!”

To join the swim, or for more information, please email jane_drapkin@hotmail.com.