HMTC's 29th Annual Tribute Dinner
TUE NOV 19 at 6 PM

Location: Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation

CRISIS ON CAMPUS: ANTISEMITISM

PANELISTS: Leading Members of Congress and College Students | Advocating Against Antisemitism

• Shai Davidai

• Jonny Daniels

• Zach Sage Fox

• Eyal Yacoby

• Eden Yadegar 

And more!

Our 29th Annual Tribute Dinner will showcase an engaging panel discussion with influential members of Congress and passionate college students actively advocating against antisemitism. This unique event will foster meaningful dialogue, bringing together experienced lawmakers and the next generation of leaders to address the pressing issue of antisemitism in today’s society. Through their insights, perspectives, and personal experiences, they will explore strategies to combat hate and promote unity, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in building a more inclusive and tolerant future.

HONOREES: Joy & Kenneth Breslin | Marilyn & Harvey Gessin | Lisa & Peter Ripka

JOIN US for a night of inspiration and insight as we celebrate their unwavering commitment to a world free of prejudice and hate.

EVENT COMMITTEE: Robert Raphael ( Committee Chair), Mark Berlinksy, Aaron Jungreis, Bernie Furshpan, Judy Liman, Marilyn Gessin, Fay Mattana, Michael S. Glickman, Alan Mindel, Lisa Goodwin

Movie star. Assassin. Spy. She was all three. But above all, she was a Jew. From Warsaw to Hollywood, from the Holocaust to the Golden Age of Glamour, she used her star power to steal secrets and stockpile weapons to try to save her family and her forbidden love. And ultimately to exact revenge against the Nazis for everything that was stolen from her and the hundreds of thousands of Jewish souls that still haunt the Warsaw Ghetto.

The discussion will be led by Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence at the HMTC.

For additional information, please contact Dr. Linda Burghardt, scholar-in-residence and discussion leader, at lindaburghardt@hmtcli.org or 516.571.8040.

Promises shared between childhood friends are usually forgotten as the years pass, but for Lena Woodward, who started a new life in the US after the Holocaust, there are memories she can’t seem to shed. Her flight from Nazi-occupied Poland brought her safety but not peace, and now she must risk everything to find the courage to face the secrets from her harrowing past that she has worked so hard to outrun.

For additional information, please contact Dr. Linda Burghardt, scholar-in-residence and discussion leader, at lindaburghardt@hmtcli.org or 516.571.8040.

On October 6th at 10 AM, HMTC extends a heartfelt invitation for you to join us in a profound and essential gathering, one that goes beyond remembrance and becomes a powerful act of unity and solidarity. As we honor the lives tragically lost and the countless others forever changed by the events of October 7th in Israel, your presence at the unveiling of the October 7th Memorial is not just welcomed—it is crucial.

This gathering offers an opportunity to come together as a community, to strengthen one another, to foster resilience, and to offer a message of hope in the face of unimaginable loss. By standing with us, you help build a collective strength that is greater than any single individual. Together, we can find solace, inspire healing, and demonstrate that through solidarity, we can overcome even the darkest of times.

Please join us and ensure that these stories are not forgotten, but carried forward with the hope and resolve to make our world a more compassionate place.

Together, we will not only remember—we will rebuild a future with a shared commitment to understanding and healing.

2nd ANNUAL CHECKMATE HATE

A CHARITY “CHESS IN THE PARK” TOURNAMENT EVENT.  TAKING PLACE ON THE GROUNDS OF THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL AND TOLERANCE CENTER OF NASSAU COUNTY IN GLEN COVE, NY. 

CHESSanity, is teaming up with the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC) to launch a new initiative aimed at putting an end to hate and bigotry and promoting tolerance and respect for all people, regardless of their background or religion, as the way forward for future generations of humanity.  We hope to inspire a new generation of leaders who are committed to creating a more just and equitable world.

As part of this partnership, CHESSanity has scheduled this event that promotes the values of tolerance and inclusivity, while also donating the proceeds to support HMTC's mission to educate the public about the Holocaust and its lessons for today. We believe that through our joint efforts, we can make a real difference in the fight against hate and discrimination, and create a brighter, more tolerant future for all.

ACTIVITIES:
12:00pm-5:00pm
CASUAL Play

12:30pm-3:00pm
Blitz, 5 Rounds, Three Sections
over 1000 | 600-1200 | U600 and Beginners
G/5TimeControl

3:30pm-5:30pm

Bughouse, 5 Rounds, One Section
Open to any two-member teams, G/5 Time Control

PRIZES:
Blitz:
$75,$50&$25 for the first three places on each section

Bughouse:
$150, $100 & $50 for the first three teams

LOCATION: Viana Hotel, 3998 Brush Hollow Rd, Westbury, NY

REGISTER BELOW

HMTC hosts Dan Grunfeld at the Viana Hotel in Westbury to speak about his book. By the Grace of the Game is a multi-generational family epic detailing history's only known journey from Auschwitz to the NBA

When Lily and Alex entered a packed gymnasium in Queens, New York in 1972, they barely recognized their son. The boy who escaped to America with them, who was bullied as he struggled to learn English and cope with family tragedy, was now a young man who had discovered and secretly honed his basketball talent on the outdoor courts of New York City.

REGISTER TO ATTEND

That young man was Ernie Grunfeld, who would go on to win an Olympic gold medal and reach previously unimaginable heights as an NBA player and executive.

In By the Grace of the Game, Dan Grunfeld, once a basketball standout himself at Stanford University, shares the remarkable story of his family, a delicately interwoven narrative that doesn't lack in heartbreak yet remains as deeply nourishing as his grandmother's Hungarian cooking, so lovingly described.

The true improbability of the saga lies in the discovery of a game that unknowingly held the power to heal wounds, build bridges, and tie together a fractured Jewish family. If the magnitude of an American dream is measured by the intensity of the nightmare that came before and the heights of the triumph achieved after, then By the Grace of the Game recounts an American dream story of unprecedented scale.

From the grips of the Nazis to the top of the Olympic podium, from the cheap seats to center stage at Madison Square Garden, from yellow stars to silver spoons, this complex tale traverses the spectrum of the human experience to detail how perseverance, love, and legacy can survive through generations, carried on the shoulders of a simple and beautiful game.

TO ORDER YOUR BOOK NOW:

*to pay by credit card, please call the Orders Dept at Triumph Books - 800-888-4741 to place your order

Title: By The Grace of the Game
ISBN: 9781637270974
Retail: $20.00
Discount: 50%
Per Unit Net Cost: $10.00
Shipping Cost: TBD

*please convey any need-by date when placing your order.

I AM JUDIT - A film by Christiane Arbesu

I AM JUDIT is the story of Judy Sleed, a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor, who is a longtime East Hampton, NY resident. Judy finally lifts the veil of secrecy surrounding her harrowing childhood -- a painful truth she's never discussed with her own children until this film. The past is juxtaposed with the present and we come to experience the magnificent light that is Judy Sleed. Judy is still very active in her community hosting a local talk show "The Play is the Thing" at LTV, the local public access TV station. And while she loves to hear other people's stories, she finally shares hers in this film with unprecedented candor. The film is a captivating portrait of Judy Sleed's emergence as a magnificent light.

Suggested Donation $10 | Light Refreshments

During the Holocaust, while Jews were being systematically eliminated throughout Europe, babies were being born and nurtured through a secret Nazi breeding program designed to create more members of the so-called master race and build a Nazi-Aryan nation.  While the women trapped in the terrifying Lebensborn project are forced to give birth and turn over their children to the Nazis, three of the mothers-to-be secretly join together to find a way out of oppression and keep their children out of Nazi hands.  The discussion will be led by Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence at the HMTC.

ATTENTION UPPER ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS! JOIN US FOR TEACHER TRAINING
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 9 AM - 1 PM ET

COMBATING MODERN-DAY ANTISEMITISM THROUGH EDUCATION

To align with the US National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, this workshop will support educators to increase their understanding of antisemitism, including its threat to America, and broaden their awareness of the Jewish American heritage. Participants will engage in collaborative opportunities to recognize and address the different faces of antisemitism. At the completion of this course, participants will have the historical knowledge and essential tools to cultivate understanding and resilience, empowering them to effectively combat antisemitism and the spread of misinformation.

JAMIE HACKMAN-MOGHADAM
Jamie Hackman-Moghadam is an educator and literacy coach with almost two decades of experience. She holds a Master's degree in Arts as a Literacy Specialist from Teachers College, Columbia University. Passionate about combating modern-day antisemitism through education, Jamie specializes in training educators in critical literacy skills. By integrating historical knowledge and the nuances of antisemitism with contemporary pedagogical approaches, Jamie empowers students and educators to confront misinformation and prejudice with understanding.

From a small Hungarian town to the grand opera houses of Budapest and Paris, Andras Levi travels through a world about to be lost to the Nazis, as 1937 opens and a harrowing saga of war unfolds around a jewel-box romance.  Profound love, familial bonds and deep personal loyalties will be tested as the young Jewish student faces the devastation of the Holocaust with nothing to shield him but the steadfastness of the human heart.  Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence at the Center, will lead the discussion.

JOIN HMTC'S 3G EVENT ON AUGUST 11TH at 5 PM

LOCATION: Louie's Prime Steak & Seafood395 Main StreetPort Washington, NY, 11050

HMTC Storyteller Dana Arschin (grandchild of an Auschwitz survivor) invites you to a memorable evening in Port Washington that will unite our local 3G community. 3Gs (grandchildren of Holocaust survivors) will come together to honor and/or remember their grandparents during an intimate 3-course meal. This is the first event of our new 3G series. At this gathering (and at every gathering to follow), we will honor 3 different Holocaust survivor grandparents of those in attendance.

100% of the proceeds will go towards HMTC's Holocaust education.

PLAY GOLF, JOIN US FOR A BUFFET RECEPTION, OR SPONSOR

Join us for our annual golf outing honoring Amy Feller, Regional Executive Officer, CHUBB.

Get ready to tee off at our Annual Golf Outing. Join us for a day of fun and friendly competition on the greens as we raise funds and awareness for Holocaust and tolerance education.

*For your specific tee time please contact Bali Lerner at balilerner@hmtcli.org or (516) 652-1636.

Please join us for the opening of artist Nina Talbot’s new exhibit, Places in Galicia, set to be on display in our temporary exhibition gallery until November 2024. This collection of oil paintings refers to Jewish life in the former historical Galicia, a province originally identified in 1206, and from 1772 until 1918, was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and today is part of Poland and Western Ukraine.

The images in these paintings present Galician places, its people, and events, from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, highlighting memory and commemoration in connection with Jews in Galicia. The paintings evoke memories of the Jewish communities that flourished in this part of the world and its tragic destruction at the hands of the Nazis and the war.

Talbot’s maternal family was from Dynów and paternal family from areas around L’viv (Lwów, Lemberg) including Kamyanka Buzka (Kamionka Strumiłowa), Seredpil’tsi (Śródopolce, Radekhiv (Radziechów), Brody, Horodok (Grodek), Chortkiv (Czortków), Skole, Sukhostav (Suchostaw)and Vovchuky (Wołczuchy).

Columbia Unbecoming - A Documentary and Panel Discussion [IN-PERSON]

Panel discussion with Producer Charles Jacobs, Jewish student leaders then & now, Activists fighting College Antisemitism

Charles Jacobs is a human rights activist who holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) from Harvard University (1988). He co-founded Boston's branch of CAMERA, and in 2002, he founded The David Project. He is currently the president of Americans for Peace and Tolerance. Jacobs has been involved in anti-slavery activism since the 1990s, having helped found the American Anti-Slavery Group (AASG), while he proceeded to publicize contemporary slavery in Sudan and Mauritania. Jacobs was given the Boston Freedom Award in September 2000 as an acknowledgment of his anti-slavery work. Along with Ralph Avi Goldwasser, Jacobs founded the David Project for Jewish Leadership in 2002. The Project is an organization whose mission is to "combat anti-Israel bias on university campuses" and "document campus harassment of Jewish students."

In 1960s Manhattan, diners flock to Masha’s, a restaurant renowned both for its fine European food and the handsome owner with the tragic past. Peter is certain no one can take away his guilt at surviving the Nazi death camps when his wife and children perished there. But June’s gentle ways pierce Peter’s guard. Through the life they make together, he begins to believe he can forget, never suspecting that the buried shadows of the past will come to life once again, forcing him to face them down this time if he is to save his only daughter. The discussion will be led by Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence.

Program Description: While the term ‘liberation’ conjures up celebrations and champagne glasses, it was nothing like that for those who were barely alive in 1945. The prisoners woke up one morning and suddenly discovered that their Nazi guards were gone and watched with worried anticipation as their liberators appeared. After 5 years of terror and abuse, what did the next five years have in store for Ettie’s family and tens of thousands of other displaced persons?  Without social media or telecommunications, how did they reunite with the ‘surviving remnants?’ How did they deal with their liberators, rehabilitate, and navigate the new dangers of a war-torn and divided Europe… and then find and arrive in a new home?

Signed copies of Dr. Zilber's book A Holocaust Memoir of Love & Resilience: Mama’s Survival from Lithuania to America will be available for purchase.

Biography: Dr. Ettie Zilber was born in a Displaced Persons camp in Landsberg, Germany to Lithuanian parents who survived the Holocaust. As a second generation, she was marked with a special responsibility. Retirement from her career as head administrator in international schools has given her the opportunity to fulfill that responsibility - to research, document, and publish her family’s Holocaust experiences, reflect on their impact on the next generation and share the stories and educate adults and youth at schools, universities, and conferences in the U.S.A. and other countries (including Germany and Lithuania).

Dr. Zilber serves on the Board of the Phoenix Holocaust Association and serves as a docent at the Arizona Jewish Historical Society Museum. She also interviews Holocaust survivors as a representative of the USC Shoah Foundation. Ettie originally hails from Brooklyn and Long Island, and has lived and worked in 5 countries before 'settling' in Arizona.  She is married, has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

NOTICE: POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

Please join us for an hour of gentle yoga focusing on the heart and hips with restorative meditations on light and love. This session will be run by certified instructors Sheryl Mayette, RYT 500, and Marisa Spano, RYT 500.

The class will cost $25 per person, with all proceeds benefiting the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County. Please bring your own yoga mat, blanket, or towel.

Location: HMTC Children's Memorial Garden, 100 Crescent Beach Rd, Glen Cove, NY

HMTC community members enjoy exclusive access to Jewish Heritage Travel experiences, offering a unique opportunity to explore the rich history, heritage, and culture of Jewish communities worldwide. Join distinguished scholars and fellow travelers on first-class journeys that combine comfort with unparalleled learning experiences.

About Jewish Heritage Travel
For 20+ years, Jewish Heritage Travel has been dedicated to offering travel experiences that are educationally rich and superior in comfort and has earned a reputation as the leader in the field.

Curious?
Join me and the Jewish Heritage Travel team for an introductory session on Zoom

OUR STORIES OUR VOICES - TALKS WITH SURVIVORS | A Monthly Series

Interview-style conversation monthly series, hosted by Bernie Furshpan is a unique opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of one of the darkest periods in human history from some of the few remaining Holocaust survivors.

Join us in a rare chance to learn from the incredible individuals who lived through the Holocaust and to honor their resilience and strength.

Survivor: MANNY KORMAN
When World War II broke out, Manny Korman and his family were forced from their home in Germany, moving across different places before Manny and his brother were eventually separated from their mother and father through the Kindertransport. They lived in the English countryside, hiding their identities amongst the gentile population while both of his parents experienced their own struggles for survival on the European mainland.

Suggested donation at the door: $10

LOCATION: Michael Kors Americana Manhasset2060 Northern BoulevardManhasset, NY, 11030

Join hosts Moji Pourmoradi, Bernie Furshpan, and Sandi Cooper for a special event.

Michael Kors will donate 20% of pre-tax purchases to the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.*

Thursday, June 6 / 4-7 PM

Michael Kors Collection / 2004 Northern Blvd, Manhasset

If you’re unable to attend, private appointments and pre-shopping are available by request.

*20% of all eligible pre-tax purchases (excluding products where a portion of the proceeds go to a charity other than the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (the “Charity”) and gift cards) made at the Michael Kors

Manhasset Collection store on June 6, 2024, from 4-7 pm ET, will be donated to the Charity when the Charity is mentioned at the time of purchase. Offer not valid online or at any other location. No adjustments to prior purchases. See a sales associate for details.

As the storm clouds of World War II gather over Europe, Elise Landau realizes it is no longer safe to be a Jew in Vienna, and she is forced to trade her life of champagne parties to become a parlor maid in England, where at least she will be protected from the growing Nazi threat. But between struggling to help her still endangered parents and adjusting to her position of servitude on an aristocratic estate, she must find a way to believe in the possibility of transcending social and class boundaries to survive the Holocaust and make a new life for herself.

The discussion will be led by Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence

LOCATION: Westbury Manor1100 Jericho TurnpikeWestbury, NY, 11590

Join us for one of our favorite annual events celebrating the upstanders in our community. Enjoy a taste of Long Island’s best restaurants, an auction, and an inspiring presentation of the Friedlander Upstander Awards to middle and high school students who have proven themselves to be Upstanders in their communities across Long Island.

With the rise of antisemitism and hate, and with our cherished Holocaust survivors dwindling in numbers, your support is needed now more than ever.

All funds raised at the event will support HMTC's educational programming. For our silent auction, credit cards, personal checks, and Zelle to email account info@hmtcli.org. will be accepted.

Our Sponsors

All funds raised at the event will be used to support HMTC's educational programming. With the rise of antisemitism and hate, and with our cherished Holocaust survivors passing away, your support is needed now more than ever.

Sofie and Mayim have been friends since childhood, but the virulent antisemitism of the Nazi regime threatens both their lives in different ways. Mayim must hide, but Sofie and her Christian family must pretend to support the Nazis to stay alive. Twenty years later, Sofie finds herself facing a dark, new prejudice in America when her husband is forced to join a secret intelligence program that employs former Nazis. And Mayim is missing; will Sofie be able to find her?

Join the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County for our annual commemoration of Yom HaShoah: a day of solemn remembrance for the roughly six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust and gratitude for the rescuers who took the ultimate risk to save Jewish lives.

Following our program, which will include short remarks from members of the HMTC Board and Staff, we welcome all to view our upcoming temporary exhibit, ‘שָׂרִיד’ ‘sur-vi-vor’, created by Daniel G. Weiss and Dinah Kramer. Weiss and Kramer will speak about the exhibit during the program.

This photography exhibit highlights the resilience and hopefulness of Holocaust survivors. These survivors, originating from all over Western and Eastern Europe, are/were residents of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties.

A project three years in the making, photographer Daniel G. Weiss, along with project coordinator Dinah Kramer, photographed and interviewed 18 Holocaust survivors (18 signifying “Life” in Hebrew). Weiss is a renowned photographer in New York City and Nassau County, whose journey began with his passion for creating unique, soulful images. Dinah Kramer is a volunteer at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance center of Nassau County as well as the coordinator of the Adopt A Survivor program at the Reconstructionist Synagogue in Plandome.

 The exhibit will feature large-format portrait photographs on canvas. Weiss refers to the project as an important way of celebrating those brave individuals who not only survived but also rebuilt their lives after facing untold horrors.

 We invite all members of our community to be with us for this solemn event, including survivors of all genocides and descendants of survivors.

LOCATION:
Krasnoff Theatre at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts
720 Northern Blvd, Brookville, NY

The Long Island Concert Orchestra (LICO) is presenting a spectacular benefit concert on May 2nd at 8 pm at the Tilles Center, Krasnoff Theater. The concert, aptly named "Symphony of Hope," will feature The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Art (JAMD) and HMTC as beneficiaries.

JAMD, which is currently facing a funding crisis due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, will be sending a Jewish and Arab student to accompany one of the music selections. In addition, the President of the school, Michael Klinghoffer, will also be present.

We invite you to join us for this incredible event and consider sponsoring it. At the very least, we encourage you to purchase tickets for yourselves, your family, and your friends. Your support will make a significant difference in the lives of the students and faculty at JAMD and help us continue our mission at HMTC.

VIP TICKETS: First Two Rows VIP Seats $100: includes a champagne reception, and  Meet & Greet

Long Island Concert Orchestra

Enrico Fagone, conductor
Alessandro Mazzamuto, piano

Program:

David Winkler: Adriatica – Concert Overture
Robert Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54
Felix Mendelssohn: Simphony No. 4 in A Major Op.90 “Italian”

VIP TICKETS: First Two Rows VIP Seats $100: includes a champagne reception, and  Meet & Greet

Become a Sponsor of the Concert

Heritage - $20,000

Includes 16 tickets in prime locations, corporate host for a VIP reception and invites for 16 guests to the VIP reception, prominent listing on HMTC website, prominent listing in HMTC event-related emails and social media promoting this event, prominent listing in the playbill.

Legacy - $15,000

Includes 10 tickets in prime locations, an invitation for 10 to a VIP reception, a prominent listing on the HMTC website, a prominent listing in HMTC emails and social media promoting this event, and a prominent listing in the playbill.

Upstander - $10,000

Includes 8 tickets in prime locations, 8 invitations to the VIP reception, listing on the HMTC website, listing in HMTC emails and social media promoting this event, and listing in the playbill.

Tolerance - $7,500

Includes 6 tickets in prime locations, 6 invitations to the VIP reception, listing on the HMTC website, and listing in the playbill.

Understanding - $5,000

Includes 4 tickets in prime locations, 4 invitations to the VIP reception, listing on the HMTC website, and listing in the playbill.

Remembrance - $2,500

Includes 2 tickets in prime locations, 2 invitations to the VIP reception, listing on HMTC website, and listing in the playbill.

Program Journal Ads

Full Page Color Ad (8”x5.5”) $1,000
Half Page Color Ad (4”x5.5”) $500

HMTC invites you to join us in commemorating Armenian Genocide Remembrance on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 3PM.

From Spring 1915 to Fall 1916, more than one million Armenians died by means of deportation, execution, and starvation at the hands of the leaders of the Ottoman Empire, auxiliary troops, and even civilians. Despite long-standing denials of Turkish officials and the international community’s silence, US President Ronald Reagan (1981), Pope Francis (2015), the European Parliament (2015), the US Congress (2019), and President Biden (2021) recognized these events as a genocide.

The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center is dedicated to educating students and the community about the atrocities of the Holocaust and the importance of tolerance and respect for all people. HMTC serves as a valuable resource for school programs, lectures, training, and other educational opportunities.

In a small mountain village in Vichy France, a young Jewish woman who was forced to flee Paris finds a way to survive the Holocaust: forging identity documents for children being smuggled out to Switzerland by the Resistance.  She secretly preserves their records in a hidden book, alongside the vital messages she encodes in it, but when the Nazis destroy the library, she fears it is lost forever. One day though, decades later, a newspaper appears on her desk with a story about a newly discovered book that looks very much like her own. Can she now help reunite those lost during the war?

The incredible true story of two Holocaust survivors who fell in love in Auschwitz, only to be separated upon liberation and lead remarkable lives apart following the war—and then find each other again more than 70 years later.

“Lovers in Auschwitz adds to the history of resistance during the Holocaust, and is an example of a rare story of joy during an incredibly dark time.”
—Time Magazine

“Moving and tragic … A true tale of love amid unimaginable suffering.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“A vivid portrait of the brutality of daily life at Auschwitz, alongside formidable tales of people who risked their lives to save others—even strangers—through sabotage, sympathy, and love. Mesmerizing and inspirational.” 
—Judy Batalion, New York Times bestselling author of The Light of Days

“A story of hope in one of humanity’s most hopeless places, Lovers in Auschwitz honors those who were lost while producing fresh insights into the nature of survival, the resilience of memory, the unseen debts we all owe one another, and, yes, the transformative power of love.” 
—Robert Kolker, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road and Lost Girls

About the speakers:

Michael Berkowitz (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/hebrew-jewish/people/academic-staff/prof-michael-berkowitz) is a Professor of Modern Jewish History at University College London. One of the subjects of Lovers in Auschwitz, Helen "Zippi" Spitzer, was a key source for his 2007 book The Crime of My Very Existence. Michael will be presenting together with Keren Blankfeld (https://kerenblankfeld.com/) regarding her forthcoming book Lovers in Auschwitz: A True Story. Keren is an award-winning journalist and the granddaughter of four World War II refugees. She has been a guest on CNN, BBC World News, and E! Entertainment.

About the Story:

Zippi Spitzer and David Wisnia were captivated by each other from the moment they first exchanged glances across the work floor. It was the beginning of a love story that could have happened anywhere. Except for one difference: this romance was unfolding in history’s most notorious death camp, between two young prisoners whose budding intimacy risked dooming them if they were caught.

Incredibly, David and Zippi survived for years beneath the ash-choked skies of Auschwitz. Under the protection of their fellow inmates, their romance grew and deepened, even as their brushes with death mounted and David’s luck in particular seemed close to running out. As the war’s end finally approached and the time came for them to leave the camp, David and Zippi made plans to meet again. But neither of them could imagine how long their reunion would take or how many lives they would live in the interim. They had no inkling, either, of the betrayals that would await them along the way. But David did suspect that Zippi harbored a secret—one that could explain the mystery of his survival all those years ago.

An unbelievable tale of romance, sacrifice, loss, and resilience, Lovers in Auschwitz is a saga of two young people who found themselves trapped inside a waking nightmare of the Nazis’ creation, yet who nevertheless discovered a love that sustained them through history’s darkest hour.

SEATS ARE LIMITED. YOU MUST REGISTER BELOW.
A DONATION IS ALWAYS WELCOMED.