Berek Haus

BEREK (Ben) HAUS passed away at his home in Queens, New York on April 16, 2020.  He was born on February 12, 1940 to Jankel and Alta Haus at a time of momentous tragedy. World War II began on September 1, 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland.  Although Alta was pregnant with Berek, they decided to flee from their shtetel (village) to the Russian side of the border.  They spent some time in Lemberg (Lvov), a border city, where Alta gave birth to Berek.  Shortly thereafter, Jankel, Alta and their infant crossed the Bug River on foot, and entered the Soviet Union. They ultimately ended up in Uzbekistan where Dina z’l (sister) and then Sara, (sister) were born in 1943 and 1946 respectively.  After the war, the family was transported to a displaced persons (DP) camp in Salzburg, Austria, where Willie (brother) was born in 1948.  Five months later, they immigrated to Canada, where Florence (sister) was born in 1950.  They lived in Montreal until the family immigrated to the United States in 1959, where they adopted the more anglicized names of Adel and Jack. They had moved to New York to live near Jankel’s brother Joe.  Alta’s family and most of Jankel’s family had perished in the Holocaust.

Despite enduring very difficult early years, Berek played a crucially supportive role at a very young age in helping our family acclimate to a dramatically different home. Yiddish was the primary language of the family, but Berek learned English quickly and well and he helped the family, particularly our parents, navigate in any and every way needed.  We all relied on him and respected whatever he said.

He was the kindest, most gentle, and generous of human beings.  He was a rock and helped raise, mentor, protect, and support his siblings.  He helped with homework, solved problems, and took us on adventures he had discovered and thought we should experience as well.  If we got hurt, he was quick to extract a sliver or patch us up.  He helped with college expenses and more. His kindness and giving extended to friends and strangers, particularly if they were in need. He made efforts to befriend and he easily befriended people whom he met casually.

When we siblings married and started our respective families, Berek took joy in each new member of the family.  He was the “fun uncle.”  He babysat, played, made toys, sewed clothing and loved to shower the children with gifts and experiences.  He loved and took deep interest in all of his nieces and nephews.

Berek had a keen intellect.  He spent a lot of time reading.  He was curious about and interested in many things.  He also had many skills.  He seemed to have an innate knowledge about how things worked and how they could be built or repaired.  He fearlessly took on new challenges and we had no idea where he had learned to do the things he did, including construction, sewing, building and caring for aquariums, artistic things and collecting antiques, carpets, pottery, stamps, etc. If he discovered something new and enjoyed it, he wanted others to enjoy it and introduced it to them.

Berek graduated from Baron Byng High School in Montreal, Canada.  He earned a Baccalaureate degree in chemistry from the College of Emporia in Emporia, Kansas.  He met his wife, Emma Jane Jordan, in New York City and they married in 1990.  Emma was a true partner.  She seemed to further broaden the scope of Berek’s interests and together they travelled widely:  to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, throughout Europe, to Cuba and the Caribbean.  They also drove extensively through the United States and Canada, including Alaska, the Northwest Territories and Yukon.  Together they turned their interest in pottery and antiques into a business.  They also developed an interest in fish and built numerous aquariums in their home and Berek became President of the New York Fish Society.

Berek was preceded in death by his wife, Emma; parents, Jack and Adel Haus; sister Dina Haus; uncles Benzion (Tzippa z”l)  Joe, (Rae z”l) and Simcha (Rosa z”l) and his cousin Joseph (Erica z”l) Haus of Baltimore, MD and the many relatives who died in the Holocaust.  Berek is survived by his siblings, Sara (Warren) Banks of Hamden, CT; Willie (Claudia) Haus of Madison, WI; and Florence (Steven) Cohen of Hartsdale, NY.  He is also survived by a cousin Sara (Phillip z”l) Friedman of Sunrise, Florida;  nephew Michael (Jane) Banks of Madison, WI and niece Debbie (Garry) Kitay of Jacksonville, Florida; nieces Andrea (Avi) Bernstein of Milwaukee, Emily (Jeff) Stone of Chicago, IL and Alison Haus of Chicago, IL; a nephew Devin (Leah) Cohen of Teaneck, NJ and niece Samara (Nathaniel Herman) Cohen of New York City; twelve grand nieces and nephews ages 3 through 27, and several cousins and their families.

Due to COVID-19, there will be a private graveside service on Monday, May 4, 2020 at 1:00 PM. (Central Time) Rabbi Betsy Forester of Beth Israel Center will officiate. Burial will be in Beit Olamim in Madison.  Memorials may be directed to Jewish Social Services of Madison, any Holocaust Memorial or to any food bank.