Helen Charski

Helen Urman Charski, Holocaust survivor, passed away peacefully on ----- in Houston Texas at 99 years of age. She was a kind, generous, brave, energetic and proud wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Helen was born in Warsaw Poland in May 1921. She cherished her early childhood with her parents and four brothers and one sister. Her later years were a struggle.Her family escaped Warsaw Poland in the middle of the night and were on the run through the forests until captured by Russian soldiers that wanted all Jews to become citizens . They refused and spent weeks being transported in train boxcars and time at sea until arriving in Siberia. . They were sent to a Siberian Labor Camp with barb wire fences, guards, and guard dogs, freezing conditions and a lack of food. They spent three years in the Labor Camp and later freed. However, Helen met her b'sheret in the Siberian labor camp and the two were later married in 1946 in a displaced persons camp in Heidenheim Germany In 1949, Helen and husband Herman Charski,of blessed memory,and their son Abie (six months old) arrived by freighter from war torn Europe to the port of New Orleans with five dollars in their pocket given to them by the Red Cross and were given a train ride to Shreveport Louisiana where they settled. Helen and Herman opened a tailor shop in Shreveport and later started a formal wear business. They retired from business and moved to Houston in 1980 to be with their son and his family. Helen is survived by her son, Abie Charski and daughter in law Sharon, her granddaugher Mindy Rosenfeld, husband Jeffrey and great grandson Noah of Dallas Texas, and grandson Todd Charski, wife Rachel and great granddaughter Ophelia Rose of Denver Colorado. Helen's life revolved around her family. Her religion and her religious beliefs and traditions were a priority for her and United Orthodox Synagogue was her second home. She also cherished the many friends she made from the Jewish Community Center. The family would like to thank Ruth Sherman and Leah Mueller of the Jewish Family Service for all of their help and support as well as Helen's caregivers. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Helen can be made to The Jewish Family Service, United Orthodox Synagogue, or Holocaust Museum of Houston.

Helen Charski

May 20, 1921 - August 14, 2020