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upstanders

Hudson Valley Area Teachers and Students Attend Annual Human Rights Institute for Middle School Student Leaders

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Sheila Arnold, CEO and Lead Performer of History’s Alive

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) hosted their 9th Annual Human Rights Institute for Middle School Student Leaders on November 15th, 16th and 17th at Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester in Rye, New York. Students and teachers from 37 public and private middle schools in the Hudson Valley attended.

HHREC staff and area educators facilitated a breakout session on the themes of What does the term “human rights” mean? , What does it mean to respect human dignity? and How do we incorporate human dignity and human rights while learning to be an upstander? Students were engaged in different activities to address these vital issues, and met within groups to develop activities to implement in their schools. Students from John Jay (Cross River) High School, Bryam Hills High School, Manhattanville College – Clark Scholars and Iona University helped to facilitate the breakout sessions. The event was organized by Jeanne Claire Cotnoir and Debbie Minchin, HHREC Coordinators of Student Programming.

The Institute began with a keynote presentation by Sheila Arnold, CEO and Lead Performer of History’s Alive! Ms. Arnold has also performed as a Regional Storyteller at Colonial Williamsburg, the Valley Forge Teacher Institute, and at conferences across the U.S.

This program was developed to further the mission of the HHREC by laying the foundation to encourage students to become “upstanders rather than bystanders.” Participating schools included: Albert Leonard (New Rochelle); Anne Dorner MS (Ossining); Ardsley MS; Barack Obama School of Justice (Yonkers); Benjamin Turner (Mount Vernon); Blind Brook MS; Briarcliff MS; Denzel Washington School of the Arts (Mount Vernon); Dobbs Ferry MS; Eastchester MS; Fieldstone MS (North Rockland); Fox Lane MS (Bedford); French American School; George Fischer MS (Carmel); German International School; Henry H. Wells (Brewster); Highlands MS (White Plains); Hommocks MS (Mamaroneck); Isaac E. Young MS (New Rochelle); Mahopac MS; Newburgh (Heritage MS, Meadow Hill Gem, South MS and Temple Academy); North Salem MS; Paideia School 15 (Yonkers); Pierre Van Cortlandt MS (Croton–on-Hudson); Pleasantville MS; Port Chester MS; Robert Bell MS (Chappaqua); Rye Neck MS; Scarsdale MS; Seven Bridges MS (Chappaqua); Sleepy Hollow MS; Somers MS; St. Joseph’s School (Bronxville); and Westlake MS (Mt. Pleasant).

“We are very pleased to continue offering this important program to Hudson Valley area middle schools.” said Steve Goldberg, HHREC Director of Education. “Seventy-five years ago, the United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that enshrined the rights and freedoms of all human beings.  Our goal is to work with our education partners and their students to embrace these ideals as they become global citizens in our ever-changing world.”

HHREC Coordinator of Student
Programming Jeanne Claire Cotnoir

For more information visit the HHREC website at HHRECNY.org or contact Steve Goldberg at sgoldberg@hhrecny.org.

News and Photos Courtesy of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center

HHREC Announces Summer Educator’s Study Tour of Holocaust Museums and Historic Sites March

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The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) will host teachers and others interested in learning about the history of the Holocaust at the HHREC National Educators’ Trip to Germany & Poland June 24-July 9, 2023.

HHREC Director of Education Steve Goldberg and professional tour guide Gerrit Book will lead a two-week series of educational seminars from June 24th to July 9th. This program is designed to offer insight into the history of the Jewish Community in Germany and Poland, trace the origins of the Holocaust, and tour monuments and memorial sites. The tour will include stops at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate, Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former Warsaw Ghetto, and Sachsenhausen, a former concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany.

“Our sponsorship of this educational mission enables our teachers to enhance their understanding of this dark period in human history by literally ‘walking the walk’ where the Holocaust was conceived and implemented.” said Steve Goldberg, HHREC Director of Education. “They also can see how the perpetrators have memorialized their victims through unique monuments. This life-changing experience will impact their teaching in the years to come.”

For more information, contact Steve Goldberg sgoldberg@HHRECNY.org or visit the HHREC website hhrecny.org.

News courtesy of the HHREC.

Yom Hashoah Ceremony: Calls for Vigilance and Upstanders

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Story and Photos By Grace Bennett

April 12, White Plains, NY–A procession of 30 ‘Holocaust Rescued Torahs’ took place at the Yom Hashoah Ceremony in the Anne Frank Garden of Remembrance– each symbolic of the devastation that fell Jewish communities throughout Nazi-occupied Europe, each also a reminder of Jewish resilience and survival against all odds.

 Representatives from Temples, Synagogues and Jewish Centers from throughout Westchester County carefully cradled and carried the preserved Torahs to the foot of the open gates. From New Castle’s Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, a Torah, held by Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe, came from Boskovice, at the time a part of Germany, now in the Czec Republic. From Congregation B’nai Yisrael in Armonk was a Torah scroll saved by congregants of a Synagogue in Pacov (50 miles SE of Prague).

Songs by the Westchester Day School choir followed as did the blowing of the Shofar and an invocation by Rabbi Daniel Gropper of the Westchester Board of Rabbis; Gropper notably called out current day bigotry. He also quoted the Garden of Remembrance’s inscription: “In memory of those who died. In thanksgiving for those who survived. In gratitude for those who risked their lives in rescue.”

Remarks by Joseph Kaidanow, Chairman of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center, and from Lisa Roberts. President of the Westchester Jewish Council, preceded those of County Executive George Latimer.

Kaidanow, recalled the legacy of the much beloved Eugene Grant, a survivor and long-time, generous benefactor of the HHREC who recently passed.  Eugene often warned, he said, of what can happen “when people fail to be upstanders.”

 Latimer reminded attendees of the “common humanity and vigilance” we must share after “six million Jews were mercilessly killed.”

Agnes Vertes

 The final remarks before a candle lighting were from survivor Agnes Vertes who  relayed the harrowing details of her experiences being separated from her parents, describing too how vital it was to her that she was still together with her little sister.

Both were hidden as very young children from the Nazis in Hungary. One tale in particular resonated when Vertes told of how her two-year-old sister tugged playfully on the trouser of a Hungarian Nazi officer who had come to find Jews in the orphanage she and her sister were living in as ‘Catholics.’ (Agnes was warned never to mention they were Jewish–she came to understand why after witnessing Jewish people being beaten.)

The SS officer was charmed by her sister, tossed her in the air, and said that only an Aryan child could be so cute. He abandoned his mission.

“She was 100 percent Jewish!” Gertes said, proudly, eliciting some laughter too. Her little sister, she said, “may have saved 100 lives that day.”

 Gertes described how she struggled with survivor’s guilt after learning so many children were killed, but gradually felt she “was lucky to have survived” so that she could tell the story so that such events would never be repeated again. 

Sandy Hook Victim’s Mother Scarlett Lewis Explains to Students How Love Empowers

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Sandy Hook Victim’s Mothers Scarlett Lewis Presented the Keynote Address at the 17th Annual Human Rights Institute held by the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center

March 15, 2019, New Rochelle– Held at Iona College, The Human Rights Institute for High School Student Leaders promotes student awareness of human rights issues on both local and global levels, and empowers students to become Upstanders by creating and implementing Action Plans of their own.

Almost 500 high school students and 45 teachers from 44 high schools* attended.

Scarlett Lewis addressing students   Will Landin Photography

Millie Jasper, Executive Director of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center gave the opening remarks, followed by a rousing speech by Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

Scarlett Lewis, mother of Sandy Hook victim Jesse Lewis and founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement, delivered the keynote speech.

“Scarlett Lewis emphasized the importance of empowering youth by choosing love over angry thoughts, inspiring bravery, and being an Upstander. This message reflects what we try to promote through our annual Human Rights Institute, to inspire students to make a difference and to take positive action for change,” said Julie Scallero, Co-Director of Education at The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center.

The students then broke up into small groups to workshop key topics of interest such as DACA, the #MeToo movement, Human Trafficking and more.**

Will Landin Photography

Judith Altmann, Holocaust survivor and member of the Speakers Bureau at the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center, also relayed her story of survival to the students.

Judith Altmann, Holocaust Survivor and member of the Speakers Bureau for the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center   Will Landin Photography

The following Student Leader Awards were issued:
2018 Richard A. Berman Leadership Award to Elena Cohen of Somers High School
2018 Neil Ginsberg Student “Upstander” Award to Hannah Sophia Soloway of Walter Panas High School
2018 Andy Cahn Student “Community Service” Award to Anuk DeSilva of Walter Panas High School.

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center hosts the Institute to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust to support the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect.

For more information please contact Millie Jasper, Executive Director, at (914) 696-0738 or mjasper@hhrecny.org.

 

George Latimer, Millie Jasper, Joseph Kaidanow

 

Scarlett Lewis to Deliver Keynote at HHREC’s March 15 Human Rights Institute

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17th Annual Human Rights Institute
for High School Student Leaders
hosted by
The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center

DATE: Thursday, March 15th, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

LOCATION: Iona College, New Rochelle

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

 

Sandy Hook Victim’s Mother, Scarlett Lewis,  will Present Keynote at Human Rights Institute for High School Student Leaders.  Lewis is Founder and Chief Movement Officer of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement

Held annually, The Human Rights Institute for High School Student Leaders promotes student awareness of human rights issues on both local and global levels, and empowers students to become Upstanders by creating and implementing Action Plans of their own.

“Scarlett Lewis emphasizes the importance of empowering youth by choosing love over angry thoughts, inspiring bravery, and being an Upstander. This message reflects what we try to promote through our annual Human Rights Institute, to inspire students to make a difference and to take positive action for change,” said Julie Scallero, Co-Director of Education at The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center.

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center hosts the Institute to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust to support the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect.

Expected attendance includes 480 high school students and 45 teachers, from 44 high schools.*

Keynote Speakers Include:
Scarlett Lewis, Founder and Chief Movement Officer of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement –
www.jessielewischooselove.org

Judith Altmann, Holocaust survivor and member of the Speakers Bureau at the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center

Special Guests Include:
George Latimer, Westchester County Executive
Shelley Mayer, Assemblyperson

Student facilitators will lead small-group workshops on a wide-range of human rights issues.

Students and teachers implement Upstander programs during Upstander Week, May 21 – May 25, 2018, (as proclaimed by Westchester County Executive George Latimer).

Teachers will also participate in two workshops, one with our keynote speaker, Scarlett Lewis, and the second one with Judith Altmann, Holocaust survivor.

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For more information please contact Millie Jasper, Executive Director at The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center. mjasper@hhrecny.org