Felicia Fuksman, former New Americans Social Club president, community volunteer

FELICIA LEWKOWITZ FUKSMAN, a Holocaust survivor from Poland who traveled the Deep South teaching about the dangers of human evil and the fragility of civilization, died on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 in New Orleans. Fuksman, 92, was a former president and member of the New Americans Social Club, founded  by Holocaust survivors who made New Orleans their home after the war.

A member of Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation, she worked as a volunteer for the New Orleans chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women, was a dedicated member of Hadassah and served as a volunteer for the Jewish Community Center. Fuksman was remembered as one of the bakers of hamantaschen for the center’s annual Adloyodah Purim festival.

Born “Feiga” Lewkowitz on May 20, 1920 in Lodz, Poland, she witnessed the “evacuation” of tens of thousands of Jews to the Chelmno death camp, but with her pre-war experience in nursing, Felicia was labeled a “skilled worker” and avoided countless “selections” for deportation. In August 1944 she was transported to Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany, eventually liberated by Russian soldiers at a labor camp in Wittenberge, Germany in May, 1945.

After a stay at a “displaced persons” camp in Berlin, she immigrated to the United States in 1949 and took the train from New York to New Orleans in 1950. Here she met Max Fuksman, a fellow survivor from Lodz, whom she married in 1951. The Fuksmans owned and operated Fox Furniture on Magazine St. for many decades. Max Fuksman died in 1982 after 30 years of marriage. As he was one of the first survivors to speak about the Holocaust, his widow elected to continue his legacy. For many years she traveled across the Deep South, participating in teacher workshops and making presentations at schools.
“There is not a day, a night, not to dream of my people,” she would state.

For her tireless efforts in Holocaust education, Felicia was honored in October, 2004 at a reception at the Tulane President’s residence and given the Distinguished Volunteer Award by the Southern Institute for Education and Research at Tulane University.

Fuksman is survived by three daughters Roslyn (Neal) Morris, Beth (Gary) Hellman, and Abbie (Ron) Leopold and her five grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, October 21, 2012 at 11:30 from the Metairie home of Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp, 1600 N. Causeway Blvd at 43rd St., with visitation beginning at 10:30 AM. Rabbi Ethan Linden will officiate. Interment will follow immediately in Chevra Thilim Memorial Park, 5000 Iberville Street in New Orleans.

Shiva minyans will be held on Sunday and Monday evening at 7300 Jade Street at 6:00 p.m.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.tharpsontheimer.com Kindly omit flowers. Donations are suggested to the New Orleans Jewish Community Center Holocaust Memorial Program, 5342 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70115.