Helen Of Livingston Survived Holocaust And Pandemic. She Needed A Dentist. Rutgers Helped.

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Helen Bright, 85, of Livingston, left her home at age 6 when the Nazis invaded Paris in 1942. She survived by staying with a series of rural families who were paid to harbor Jewish children, but not all of the families adequately fed the children in their care. Meanwhile, Helen's father and brother died at Auschwitz.

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When Bright, who came to the U.S. in 1959, stayed isolated during the COVID pandemic last year, her teeth worsened because she avoided cleanings and other preventive care.

A Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) program has been providing free dental care to Holocaust survivors, whose oral health is often compromised because of the neglect and malnutrition they suffered during World War II. Now they're looking for more people to help in the Tri-State area.

The program has nearly a dozen people enrolled, but there are many others potentially eligible.

As of this past spring, an estimated 350,000 Holocaust survivors were still alive worldwide, approximately 20,000 living in New York City, according to the New York Times.

The program, developed through a partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ (based in Whippany), is funded by a donation from RSDM professor Dr. Howard Drew, whose parents survived the Holocaust.

“There’s a great need among survivors to have affordable and accessible dental care,’’ said RSDM Dean Cecile Feldman. “They have so much to teach us about humanity and the strength to endure unfathomable cruelty and hardship. As a society we owe them a great debt. They deserve all the compassion and support that we can give them.’’

World War II ended in 1945, but many survivors live on.

The Jewish Federations of North America estimates that there are about 80,000 Holocaust survivors in the United States, and as many as 1 in 3 live in poverty. Social isolation, poor health, and depression are common.

Helen And Larisa's Care

When Helen Bright began treatment, she was in need of two root canals and restorative work. Since her visits began, she’s been happy with the treatment she’s received from students, residents, faculty and staff.

“They are not only nice, but I know they are competent, too," she said. "I can’t thank them enough. They are wonderful."

Among her providers has been Dr. Drew and his son, Alexander, a private practice prosthodontist and faculty member at RSDM. They have established a personal connection with many of the patients.

“Every time I work on a survivor, I see my parents in front of me,’’ said Dr. Drew, whose mother is 95-years-old. “She is a very special person, and so was my father. And all of these people are incredibly special, too.’’

Another patient is Larisa Rabniovich of Sussex County. When she was a baby, her family fled the city of Kiev in the Ukraine, just before the Nazis invaded, slaughtering tens of thousands on the city’s outskirts. Larisa’s family took refuge in Kazakhstan.

Larisa participated in this dental program along with her husband, Anatoly. She told third-year dental student Kiera Rosen her story.

“She talked a lot about what the aftermath was like,’’ said Rosen. “She talked about not having access to healthy foods, medical care or dental care and how that has affected her whole life, including her teeth."

Holocaust survivors interested in treatment at RSDM can call 973-972-5304 to make an appointment.

Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest is the largest Jewish philanthropy in New Jersey and the eighth largest Federation in the country, serving the Jewish community in Essex, Morris, Sussex, Union, and parts of Somerset counties. Learn more at https://www.jfedgmw.org.

The Rutgers School of Dental Medicine is the state’s largest provider of oral healthcare. Founded in 1956, its mission encompasses education, patient care, research and service.

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