HR0459LRB100 13008 MST 27223 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Harold Katz on the 
4occasion of his bar mitzvah on May 28, 2017; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Harold Katz first prepared for his bar mitzvah 76 
6years ago in his hometown of Tarn,
Czechoslovakia; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, Shortly before the time of his bar mitzvah, Harold 
8Katz fled on the back of a wagonload of lumber from 
9Czechoslovakia to
Budapest, Hungary to escape Nazi forces; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, Harold Katz spent the next four years in Budapest 
11hiding from the Nazis by obtaining
false identity papers; he 
12faced many trials during his time in Budapest, including

13escaping from prison three times and trying to obtain passage 
14to Jerusalem; and
 
15    WHEREAS, While Harold Katz was hiding, his parents, 
16brothers, and sisters were transported to
Auschwitz, where his 
17entire family, except his brother, Maurie, were killed; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Harold Katz and Maurie were reunited after World 
19War II; they located family in the United
States and moved to 
20Chicago; and
  
 
 
 
HR0459- 2 -LRB100 13008 MST 27223 r

1    WHEREAS, Harold Katz began working as a sewing machine 
2operator and opened a
construction company with his brother; 
3and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, Harold Katz met his wife, Judy, a survivor of 
5Auschwitz, at the Jewish People's Institute in
Chicago, where 
6they were learning English; they later had a daughter and two 
7sons; therefore, be it
  
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
9HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
10congratulate Harold Katz on his bar mitzvah
and we wish him and 
11his family all the best during the momentous occasion; and be 
12it further
  
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
14presented to Harold Katz as an expression of our esteem and 
15respect.