Asher Matathias

Asher's parents married in 1942 amidst the escalating Holocaust. When the Nazis began rounding up Jews in Greece, the family fled to the mountains, aided by Righteous Gentiles who risked their lives to protect them. Asher's survival as a baby was precarious due to the threat his cries posed to their safety. A Nazi patrol once discovered them, but a young German soldier spared their lives, leaving Asher with a nuanced view of Germans.

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In 1970, he revisited Greece, reconnecting with the Stamos family, who had risked everything to protect his family during the war. The Stamoses had even secretly arranged to adopt and baptize Asher if his parents perished. He also met his future wife, Anna, with whom he built a family. Today, Asher cherishes his heritage, his connections with Greece, and the legacy of resilience and kindness that shaped his life.

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