By Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO — The invitation from Gabriela Hartstein Auspitz Labson to a select circle of family and friends read: “You are invited to celebrate the sunrise of my second century.” The celebration, a Seudah Shlishit (third meal of Shabbat), took place Saturday, October 11, 2014, in a lovely room on the second floor of the elegant Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego.
The 100th birthday event was attended by four generations of the Auspitz family. Gabriela’s grandson, Clay Auspitz, in the military, stationed in Hawaii, began the program by reading a letter from President Obama. The president wrote, “I send my warmest wishes for a happy 100th birthday….You are part of an extraordinary generation that, in the face of unspeakable evil, showed the courage to persevere and the strength to thrive. More than half a century after the horror of the Holocaust, our grief for those we lost has not diminished, and the legacy of hope and moral triumph left by survivors continues to inspire us.” Gabriela, who lost her parents and her beloved older sister, brother-in-law and young niece during the Holocaust, was deeply touched by the president’s words.
Gabriela herself, was saved because of her ingenuity, writing a letter of appeal to Lord Josiah Wedgewood, a British Zionist and parliamentarian who had been in her city over a decade earlier. In her book, My Righteous Gentile, she relates the saga of her rescue.
The afternoon continued with various courses of French cuisine interspersed by speakers.
After the first course, Gabriela explained the significance of Seudah Shlishit in her parents’ Orthodox home. The daughter of a rabbi and the granddaughter of the chief rabbi of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Gabriela was well-schooled in Jewish tradition. She was in the first graduating class of the Hebrew Gymnasium of Monkarsh, a school founded by her father. As a youngster, she was already an ardent Zionist. One of her guests, who knew her since her youth in Monkarsh, Czechoslovakia, recalled how, at thirteen, she had the chutzpa to challenge her revered grandfather: “We cannot wait for a Messiah to bring us back to Israel. We Jews need to bring about the messianic age by returning to Eretz Yisrael ourselves, to till the soil and rebuild our homeland.”
Gabriela then introduced her favorite song, V’Ulai, sung by my daughter Myla Wingard, who accompanied herself on the guitar.
Gabriela’s youngest son, Rubin, who came with his wife, Dawn from Buffalo, delivered an eloquent tribute to his mother, touching on some of the highlights of her life. Middle son, Stanley, an artist and a talented photographer was shutter-clicking throughout the proceedings.
His skill was demonstrated during the impressive video which documented Gabriela’s recent trip to Jerusalem where he accompanied his mother. A highlight was her visit with Dr. Ben Sasson, president of the Hebrew University. In both English and Hebrew, they discussed the roles of technology and the humanities at the university in the 21st century. Another interesting section of the documentary showed all her Israeli relatives gathered to pay tribute to this remarkable lady. She spoke to them and presented her cousin, the assistant to the Hebrew University president, with a ring, which her mother had buried in the backyard of their home in Monkarsh to hide during the Holocaust.
At the conclusion of the video, Myla Wingard sang Yerushalayim Shel Zahav in both Hebrew and English; everyone joined in with the chorus. This was followed by a Havdallah service, led by eldest son, Lee, in town with his wife, Kate, from Boston. Lee also served as the capable master of ceremonies for the entire event.
Gabriela, a brilliant educator, speaker and organizer, came to San Diego in the late 60’s to become the assistant to Dr. Yehudah Shabatay, then Director of the Bureau of Jewish Education. She has continued contributing to the education of the San Diego Jewish community, especially at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. She maintains her thirst for knowledge, her love of people and her indomitable spirit.
May her lust for life propel her into the second century with continued strength and vigor. “Bis 120!”
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Wingard is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com