A record of 1,225 Broward County high school students learned about the Holocaust through the testimony of many survivors, as well as the screening of the 2005 documentary “I’m Still Here,” based on the diaries of teens, many who perished in the Holocaust.
The event titled “Broward County Student Awareness Day: A Prejudice Reduction and Anti-Bullying Program” took place recently at the Broward CountyConvention Center in Fort Lauderdale.
The event has taken place annually since 1994 by the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center in Hollywood for all public and private high schools inBroward County. Rositta Kenigsberg, president of the HDEC, led the efforts that resulted in the passage of legislation that mandated every student from kindergarten through grade 12 be taught about the Holocaust.
“Today is the largest attendance we ever had for Broward County Student Awareness Day and I thank all the students, teachers and volunteers for the massive support,” said Kenigsberg, addressing the students in her opening remarks at the Broward County Convention Center.
Not only did the 75 survivors who talked with students in round table discussions made an impact with their stories on how their families were murdered by the Nazis, but they also pleaded with the students to recognize prejudice when it happens and to fight back against oppression.
“I am not here just to speak today just to recall my personal Holocaust story, but to inspire all of you to take action so that the horror will never occur again,” said survivor Norman Frajman.
At age 14, Frajman witnessed the historic Warsaw Ghetto uprising in 1943 and was taken with his mother and sister to the Majdanek concentration camp in Poland. His mother and sister were murdered along with over one hundred relatives from his extended family.
“I was fortunate to have just lived and went next to the Skarzysko concentration camp where I worked as a slave laborer in an ammunitions factory. Then, I was transferred to the extermination camp of Buchenwald and thought I would not survive.”
However, Frajman was liberated at age 15 by the Russians and eventually immigrated to the United States. He now lives in Boca Raton and has personally recruited other survivors to speak at events as part of Frajman’s long history of service to Holocaust education.
Another survivor, 96-year-old Julius Eisenstein of Hallandale Beach, gave a keynote speech recalling his experiences at the Auschwitz and Dachau camps.
“My biggest kvell (joy) is to see young people like you here to witness what happened in the Holocaust. Please make sure that the cruel things that happened to all of us (survivors) won’t happen to others,” said Eisenstein.
Not a sound was uttered as the students listened attentively to Eisenstein’s personal testimony on how he managed to escape his own death multiple times while he was a slave laborer at both Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps.
“There were many occasions when I could have been shot or easily could have starved to death. My brother and I survived by being slave laborers. I was a jack of all trades because if I did not adapt, the Nazis would have shot me for sure.”
“I do not know how and why I survived and why, to this day, I have lived longer than most survivors. I am truly, truly grateful for all the good luck I had all of my life,” said Eisenstein.
Eisenstein lost his parents and three sisters in the Holocaust. He has been married for 67 years with two children, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Carl Arfa, a sergeant in the United States army, was shocked when he discovered Holocaust survivors as he liberated the prisoners.
“I could not believe what I saw. I initially thought I saw lepers in the camp. I had no idea that these were innocent Jewish people, who looked so close to death. I can’t believe how cruel the Nazis were to allow people to be systematically tortured and murdered,” said Arfa.
The testimonies of Arfa, many Holocaust survivors, the gripping dramatic film of the teens who both perished and survived the Holocaust, in addition to the testimony of former skinhead Angela King, all left memories for the students not to be forgotten.
“I was so moved to tears. It is hard to think how cruel the Nazis were to all their victims. I will do all I can to stop prejudice and bullying in my lifetime,” said high school senior Crystal Jordache of Fort Lauderdale.
To end the day, the HDEC distributed a personal letter to each student attending to sign a personal agreement to a commitment to stop prejudice and bullying whenever they see an incident.
HDEC is planning to hold Student Awareness Days in 2016 on March 16 in Miami- Dade County and on a date to be announced in Palm Beach County.
To learn more on programs at the Holocaust Education and Documentation Center, 2031 Harrison St. in Hollywood, call 954-929-5690 or go towww.hdec.org
By Marvin Glassman
