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upstanders

Yom Hashoah Ceremony: Calls for Vigilance and Upstanders

April 16, 2018 by Inside Press

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. 

Filed Under: Inside Westchester Tagged With: Agnes Vertes, Common Humanity, Garden of Remembrance, George Latimer, hhrec, Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center, Speakers Bureau, upstanders, Vigilance, Westchester Jewish Council, Yom Hashoah Commemoration

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

March 22, 2018 by The Inside Press

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

 

Filed Under: Inside Westchester Tagged With: awards, Choose Love, Event, Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center, Human Rights Institute, Jesse Lewis Choose Love, Sandy Hook, Scarlett Lewis, student leaders, upstanders

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

March 6, 2018 by The Inside Press

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.

—

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

 

Filed Under: Inside Westchester Tagged With: Holocaust and Human Rights, Human Rights Institute, Jesse Lewis Choose Love, mother, Sandy Hook, Scarlett Lewis, student leaders, upstanders, victim

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