Holocaust speaker shares story in Eagle Theatre

The Jew Crew and history teacher Todd Wangsness organized for a Holocaust survivor to speak in the Eagle Theatre today, Friday, May 21.

The speaker came from the Holocaust Survivor Speakers’ Bureau to speak in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, which occurred this year on Sunday, April 11.

The Jew Crew organized a speaker for this week because it was the soonest date that it could host her after the Diversity Assembly.

The speaker spoke in the theater during third and fourth periods. Many teachers brought their classes, and students with free third and fourth periods were encouraged to attend as well.

She discussed her experiences at the start of the Holocaust and the instability of her life as she was shuttled from place to place in rural Bulgaria until the end of the war in 1945.

“Her story is very important,” Jew Crew cofounder and Co-President junior Jacqui Treiger said. “It is important to remember how horrible and horrific the events of the Holocaust were, and the people who have experienced it are not going to be around much longer.”

Wangsness shared the same opinion.

“This is an important thing on campus,” he said. “It helps bring the situation to light and it is good to have a firsthand witness who lived through it.”

While Jacqui said that the Jew Crew will consider a few other options for Holocaust Remembrance Day next year, she believes that another speaker is not out of the question.

“This was definitely a great opportunity and experience,” she said.