George Gabriel Glen

George Glen was born in Poland in 1926. His given name was Gabriel. George was just a young boy when the war broke out and he and his family were taken to Treblinka and he watched as the Nazis killed his sisters and mother. He ran away but was caught by the Germans and take to a camp. He was rescued in 1944 by the Russian army from Theresienstadt. For good reason, George found it difficult to trust people. He would let people get close to him, but he always ended up pushing most people away. He was a funny man with a great sense of humor and he laughed at life. His smile was quite infectious. When he was genuinely happy, you knew it in his face. He had a soft side which he barely let you see, but it would come out. He showed concern for the people he loved and always asked about how they were doing, never forgetting to ask about one’s family. One of his main concerns for Ryan was that he find a woman to marry and start a family. He wanted to be sure Ryan would invite him to the wedding. He loved to dance. He always wanted to dance again. He connected to his Polish roots by frequenting the local Polish deli.

George was married to Alla for many years and she brought him great joy. He would always talk about her with great pride. The last few years of his life were quite lonely without her by his side.

George had a strong Jewish identity and he remembered the basic prayers, even at the end. He would recite the Kiddush and hamotzi and if he knew you were Jewish, he would wish you a Shabbat Shalom. He was a very honest man and would never cheat anyone out of anything. The last few years of his life, he was tormented by the memories of his mother and sisters. Our strongest wish for George is that he is finally at peace.