of Grand Rapids. Various 
programs that she has helped 
put on led her to connect with 
local Holocaust survivors, in 
particular a man named David 
Mandel.
“He lived in Grand Rapids 
for many years and never 
talked about the Holocaust,” 
Finkelstein explains. His story 
will be showcased on the web-
site. Mandel, encouraged by 
Grand Valley State University, 
began to slowly share his 
story and eventually ended up 

speaking at Jewish day schools 
for Holocaust Remembrance 
Day.
Mandel is one of sev-
eral Grand Rapids-based 
Holocaust survivors who vol-
unteered to share their journey 
for the website. “I think with 
the Holocaust website project 
and the memorial project at 
Meijer Gardens, we’re going 
to really make an impact in 
Grand Rapids,” Finkelstein 
says.
By capturing the incredi-

ble stories of local survivors, 
Finkelstein adds that a project 
like this one can help ensure 
these journeys and moments 
in time are never forgotten, 
particularly for families and 
descendants. Plus, an increase 
in online content makes secur-
ing archival data and photos 
easier now than in the past.
“We’re living in a time 
where if you have internet 
access, you can get onto some 
amazing genealogical resourc-
es that are out there,” Franciosi 
says. “I got into an online con-
versation with a local historian 
in a Polish town who was able 
to send pictures of what the 

town [where a survivor was 
originally from] looked like in 
the 1930s and 1940s.”
For the small Jewish com-
munity in west Michigan — 
approximately 2,000 individu-
als, Katzman estimates — the 
website will mark the first 
time many of these stories are 
told. They’re also encouraging 
people to reach out with their 
own stories to further contrib-
ute to the effort. 
“They’ve never been pro-
cessed; they’ve never been 
presented,” Finkelstein says of 
many Grand Rapids survivor 
testimonies. “That makes it 
even more important.” 

“WE’RE GOING TO REALLY MAKE

AN IMPACT IN GRAND RAPIDS,”

— PEG FINKELSTEIN

SEPTEMBER 23 • 2021 | 29

Grand Rapids 
Holocaust survivor 
Henry Pestka
“WE’RE GOING TO REALLY MAKE

PESTKA FAMILY

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Need Help with an IRS or State Tax Problem?

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Need Help with an IRS or State Tax Problem?

Call the experts at

1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389)

• Tax Liens
• Collection Notices
• Penalties
• Unfi
 led Tax Returns
• Audits

Call us today to answer your questions 
or to schedule a meeting and say 
goodbye to those sleepless nights!

1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389)
www.levytaxhelp.com

We Listen …. We Care … We Help!

HQ: 28400 Southf
 eld Road., Lathrup Village, Michigan 48076

S.D.: Owed the IRS $207,214. 
With our help, the case was 
settled for $7352.

D.D.: Client owed the IRS 
$110,203. Our f
 rm negotiated an 
Offer in Compromise to settle the 
debt for $12,226.

L.J.: With our assistance, client’s 
IRS debt of $1,014,078 was 
reduced to $100,490.

Let our team of Attorneys, CPAs, Tax Consultants and former IRS Revenue Of
 cers provide you with 
immediate relief from IRS and State tax problems.

Why Choose Levy & Associates to help with your tax problems?

• 
22 years of specializing in tax resolution and working with the IRS and 

State Taxing Authorities

• 
We have helped thousands of clients nationwide to save tens of millions of 

dollars each year!

• 
Unlike other fi
 rms, all work on your account is kept in-house

• 
A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau

Sincerely,

Lawrence B. Levy, President

1.800.TAX.LEVY
www.levytaxhelp.com

28400 Southfi
 eld Rd, Lathrup Village, MI 48076
AS FEATURED IN

Call us today to answer your questions
or to schedule a meeting and say
goodbye to those sleepless nights!

• Tax Liens

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M.F.: Owed the State of Michigan $100,578. 
With our help, the case was settled for $100. 

R.N.: Owed the IRS $709,000.
Our fi
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to settle the debt for $1,000.

S.F.: With our assistance, client’s IRS debt
of $207,663 was reduced to $5,837.

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Consultants and former IRS Revenue
Offi
 cers provide you with immediate relief.

Why Choose Levy & Associates to help
with your tax problems?

• 22 years of specializing in tax resolution and working
 with the IRS and State Taxing Authorities

 • We have helped thousands of clients nationwide to
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