Christadelphians Sheltered Jewish Child During Holocaust, Encouraged Her to Maintain Jewish Identity

Rella Hudes Adler, now 84, recalls the emotional toll of being separated from her Jewish family during the Holocaust. As a seven-year-old, she was part of the Kindertransport, a rescue effort that brought thousands of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe to Great Britain. She was placed with Philip and Lilian Adams, an elderly Christian couple in Sheffield, England, who had volunteered to sponsor a Jewish child. The couple, members of the Christadelphians, a small international Christian group, provided her with a new home and a new life.

Despite the kindness of her new family, Rella felt deeply isolated. She struggled with the unfamiliar food, language, and customs of her new environment. “I felt completely abandoned,” she recalls. “The food, the language, everything was so different. All I did was cry.” The emotional weight of her situation was compounded by the fact that she had left behind her Orthodox Jewish family and her native Vienna.

Rella’s connection to her Jewish identity was sustained through contact with her aunt in America and her uncle in Palestine. The Christadelphians, who were known for their pro-Jewish stance, encouraged her to maintain ties with her family. They facilitated correspondence, allowing her to write to her aunt in the United States and her uncle in Palestine. However, due to Britain’s wartime restrictions, she could not communicate with her mother in Austria.

Throughout her eight years in the care of the Adamses, Rella was immersed in Christian teachings. She attended church meetings and Sunday school, learning the Christian faith thoroughly. Yet, she remained committed to her Jewish heritage. “I lived a strictly Christian life,” she says. “But I knew I was Jewish because of the contact with my aunt in America. It was a decision of mine to continue becoming Jewish. I had no role models.”

Rella’s story is featured in a new book by Jason Hensley, *Part of the Family: Christadelphians, the Kindertransport, and Rescue from the Holocaust*. The book highlights the role of the Christadelphians in rescuing Jewish children during the Holocaust and their efforts to support the survivors’ connection to their heritage. The group’s actions reflect a commitment to compassion and justice, aligning with Micah 6:8, which calls for people to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

The Christadelphians’ involvement in the Kindertransport underscores their historical engagement with humanitarian efforts. Their support for Rella Hudes Adler illustrates a broader pattern of providing refuge and fostering connections for Jewish children during one of the darkest periods in history. Their actions, while not universally recognized, offer a testament to the power of faith-driven compassion.

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