“They fled the horrors of Nazi-occupied Europe and married soon after. But there was no escaping the truth about his sexual orientation.”
Last year I went to Israel on a trip sponsored by The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation. It was a trip organized for Storytellers. The experience was unforgettable and will forever leave an indelible imprint on me. It was the first time I had ever been to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, in Jerusalem. And while I have viewed many films, both fictionalized and documentaries that tell slices of the history, Yad Vashem is a sobering reminder of the scope of the Shoah.
While on this trip, I had the privilege to connect with other storytellers, who come from an array of disciplines. This is where I met H. Alan Scott, a talented writer and comedian. I shared the story of Roman and Ruth with him, and that I was in the process of making a film and his interest was piqued. Upon our return to Los Angeles, H. Alan asked if he could interview Roman for a piece he wanted to write about his story -- that it was an important story to tell and share with the LGBTQ community. I insisted that it also be Ruth's story as well, and H. Alan without hesitation agreed. Here's the final piece he wrote. I was pleasantly surprised to see some of the comments from as far as Afghanistan, from individuals who could relate to the story.