obituaries
A René Slotkin, a Rare Surviving
‘Mengele Twin,’ Dies at 84
JACKIE HAJDENBERG | JTA.ORG
s a physical education teacher
at an Orthodox boys school in
New York City, René Slotkin
frequently wore short-sleeved shirts —
leaving the numbers tattooed into his
arm visible to anyone who saw him.

His story of Holocaust survival was
remarkable: Slotkin and his sister were
among just 200 sets of twins to survive
gruesome experimentation by the infa-
mous Nazi physician Josef Mengele at
Auschwitz, then were reunited six years
aft er being separated.

Slotkin’s story, which he told and
retold, including in a fi lm about his fam-
ily, was never far from the minds of
his fellow congregants at Congregation
Ohab Zedek, the Upper West Side syn-
agogue down the block from his home
where he studied Talmud every morning
A RESOLUTION OF ABRAMSON SENIOR CARE
The Board of Trustees of Abramson Senior Care record with sorrow the
passing of their esteemed colleague and friend
Dorothy Wasserman, z”l
whose commitment to Jewish causes and philanthropy benefited
the seniors served by Abramson Senior Care, and who served as an
example to the entire community.

Dottie joined the Board of Trustees in 2012, but was a devoted
champion of Abramson Senior Care since 1980, supporting our mission
alongside her beloved husband and former Abramson Board Chair,
Leonard z”l. She was a Life Member of the Auxiliary and served as an
Honorary Auxiliary Board Member.

A cherished volunteer, Dottie sat on and chaired various committees.

She served as our Gala Committee Chair in 1999 and was active on
our Building for Life Campaign Committee, Resident Quality of Life
Committee, Resident Program Fund and Family Fun Day. Dottie was a
longtime patron of our Rainbow Ball and most recently was a sponsor
of our Together in Harmony fundraiser.

Abramson Senior Care and our entire Jewish community were truly
fortunate to have been the beneficiary of her time, leadership, and
enduring tzedakah.

To her family, children Bobbi Wasserman (Harry Koplin), Ted Wasserman
(Marcia Lyons), James Wasserman, son-in-law Howard Wenitsky;
grandchildren Alex (Danielle), Ian, Zachary (Anna), Natalie, Jennifer (Jon),
Samantha, and Erica; and great-grandchildren Jordan, Josie, and Lena;
and all who mourn her passing, the Board of Trustees of Abramson
Senior Care offer this expression of profound sympathy. May they find
solace in the knowledge that her dedication, generosity and good works
will serve as a living tribute to her and will benefit future generations.

Lorraine Drobny
Board Chair
22 JULY 21, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
Sean Gregson
President and CEO
well into his 80s.

“I still fi nd it staggering that a man
who saw so much horror and devastation
not only clung to his faith and belief,
but did so with happiness and hakarat
hatov,” or gratitude, Jonathan Field wrote
in the Jewish Link about his fellow con-
gregant, who died on July 17 at 84.

Born René Guttmann in 1937 in
Teplice-Sanov, Czechoslovakia, Slotkin
was only 4 years old when he and his
twin sister Irene were deported to
Th eresienstadt with their mother, Ita, in
1942. (Th eir father Herbert was taken
to Auschwitz in 1941 and died there.)
Two years later, they were moved to
Auschwitz, where their mother was
killed and the twins were separated and
subjected to medical abuse by Mengele.

Aft er the camps were liberated, Slotkin
was repatriated to Czechoslovakia and
lived with two families. Irene, who had
René Slotkin
Image courtesy of B.A. Van Sise / Design by
Mollie Suss via JTA.org
initially been placed with a Christian
family in Oświęcim, Poland (the town
where Auschwitz is located) was even-
tually found by the Joint Distribution