Is Leo the oldest Jew in Australia?
Published in The Australian Jewish News
November 20, 2018
Leo Buchler has lived through two revolutions, two World Wars, life as an inmate at a Nazi labour camp and immigration to a country on the other side of the world.
But when he celebrated his 108th birthday last week, he was happy to just enjoy some of his native Hungarian food with family.
His grandson, David, owns the Elsternwick restaurant, Budapest, and Leo is always overjoyed to receive David’s special deliveries.
“It’s just fantastic,” says Leo, musing on his traditional favourites rukott krumpli (a dish made with potatoes, eggs and lashings of sour cream) and of course, the classic chicken soup with matzah balls – “and noodles”, he adds.
It is insight into his character – modest, humble, homely. A European gentleman of yesteryear.
Born in Hungary on November 9, 1910, The AJN understands that Leo is Australia’s oldest Jewish person – and indeed the third oldest man in the country.
“I’ve got a lot of bad memories from Hungary,” reflects Leo.