Rachel Resnitsky was born in 1929 in Sanciai (Schantz), Lithuania. Unfortunately, for Rachel childhood was short-lived. Shortly after the Soviet occupation, the Germans invaded Lithuania. All of Rachel’s family perished during the WWII except for her brother who she discovered in 1960 was living in Siberia. Rachel never returned home and for a period of time lived in a Displaced Persons Camp in Germany. At the camp she met Israel Besser.  Israel, a Polish refugee had already emigrated from Germany to Israel so could not enter the United States.

In 1952, Rachel, with the assistance of a Jewish organization named ORT immigrated to the United States. She stayed in New Orleans with some distant relatives for six months and then returned to Germany and married Israel. In 1954 Israel and Rachel arrived at JFK Airport and began their new lives in New York.

 Rachel’s mom was an incredible baker. For Rachel baking is an art to be admired by all those who watch her create with both passion and mastery cakes, cookies and breads that are as delicious to eat as they are to look at. Rachel holds all of her family’s recipes in her heart, her hands and her head. If you want to learn how to make any of her baked goods you must watch her make them and then write down the recipes. My mother-in-law’s gift to me was her favorite sponge cake pan- the secret ingredient. 

– Carrie Besser

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant