Hundreds of Holocaust survivors to connect with students worldwide in new program

• Published date: 07 April 2024
• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The program will see students connect with Holocaust survivors both in person and virtually, bringing the stories to light in countries and localities that have perhaps never heard such testimonies, according to the organization

President of the Claims Conference, Gideon Taylor, spoke of the importance of such a program amid the rise in antisemitism across the world. "At a moment of dramatically rising antisemitism, this program tells the history and educates for the future."

"A Holocaust survivor speakers bureau of this scale and reach is unprecedented. Holocaust stories remain as important as ever, for both ends of the generational spectrum. Survivors continue to feel the enormous need to share their harrowing stories, and, encouragingly, schools continue to want to fill their rooms with living, eyewitness testimony," he said.

Executive Vice President of the organization, Greg Schneider added, "It is more important than ever that every student in every school, regardless of where they are, have the opportunity to hear directly from the Holocaust survivors who are still with us. First-hand accounts are essential to maintaining Holocaust memory and go much further to ensure people understand the impact of bigotry, antisemitism, and unchecked hatred."

Holocaust survivor Hanne Holsten mentioned the impact of direct contact with Holocaust survivors and their stories. "It is one thing to read about the Holocaust in a textbook, a few paragraphs about the global politics of World War II and the history of Europe. It is another thing altogether to sit with someone who was deported from their hometown, stripped of everything they own, made to live in hiding or to endure a concentration camp. If speaking directly with the few remaining survivors makes...