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A day of remembrance: Beachwood Holocaust survivor shares his story

Sam Burke says he can still see the images from his time at Auschwitz.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio — Rescued Torah scrolls from the Holocaust were presented at a Yom HaShoah remembrance service at Fairmount Temple Wednesday night, a beautiful moment Sam Burke did not want to miss.

The Auschwitz survivor drew sketches to remember the Holocaust, even though he says he already dreams of it every night.

"You hear the cries of men, women, children," he told us, "young and old."

Here, men, women, and children are told to "never forget," something Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk's grandmother would also say. She, too, was a survivor, and shared the horrors to her grandson

"She would start to describe the stories of their life," Nosanchuk remembered, "and ten when you'd say another name, she's say, 'Hitler took him.' And then the next one, she'd say, 'Hitler,' and then one after that, 'Hitler.'"

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There were other survivors here, too; they walked amongst the scrolls with dignity and grace. Sam continued to tell me his story and share his pictures. He was just 13 when the Nazis killed so many of his family, and says he will always remember his grandfather's final words

"My grandfather told me, 'Listen to me, Sam: There is going to be a terrible war coming,'" Burke said, through tears. "'Just listen to what I say.' He said, 'I won't survive the war. but you will.'"

He has suffered for 78 years, but says the support from his community in Greater Cleveland helps.

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