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	THE LEGACY HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL - MIAMI BEACH NEWSLETTER
TISHRAY 5762 - June 2002

KRISTALLNACHT NOVEMBER 8, 2001: A NIGHT OF BROKEN GLASS - A NIGHT OF UPLIFTED SPIRIT
On Thursday, November 8, 2001 over 400 Holocaust Survivors, their families and members of the community, gathered at the Holocaust Memorial for a special program in commemoration of the 63rd year of Kristallnacht. It was a night of remembrance of past history and a night of uplifting spirit. In cooperation with the General Consulate of Israel in Miami, the highlight of the evening was a presentation of the medal of the Righteous Among the Nations to Mrs. Alisja Syzmanska of Delray Beach, FL.	Norman Braman, President of The Holocaust Memorial Committee, thanking Alisja Symanska, Righteous Among the Nations
In 1941, in Nazi occupied Warsaw, Poland, twenty-one year old Alisja had to make a difficult decision; either hand a 3 years old Jewish girl to the Gestapo or risk facing certain death for her and her family. Alisja made the commitment to hide the child, and together with her family raise the little girl as her own until the end of World War II. With the generosity of a few Holocaust Survivors who volunteer at the Holocaust Memorial, the little girl, now 57 years old, Krystyna Szaruch, was flown in from Warsaw to Miami Beach to stand beside her mother at the medal presentation ceremony. The medal and a certificate were presented to Mrs. Symanska on behalf of the State of Israel by the Honorable Miki Arbel, Consul General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico. If only there had been a handful more heroes like Alisja many more Jews could have been saved from the Holocaust.

THE FIRST ANNUAL JACK CHESTER MEMORIAL LECTURE
Jack Chester	In collaboration with the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the University of Miami, the first Annual Jack Chester Memorial Lecture was held on February 14, 2002 sponsored in the loving memory of one of the Memorial’s most dearest founding members. A Tribute to a Quiet Man Jack Chester was born in Poland in 1925. At the age of 14 he was deported with his family to the Lodz Ghetto after the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939. When the Lodz Ghetto was liquidated, he and his family were sent to Auschwitz and subsequently to Buchenwald Concentration Camp. Jack Chester was the sole survivor of his large family. In 1951 he emigrated from Germany to Cuba, and in 1960 he fled once again after the Communists came to power and arrived in Miami to start a new life.
Jack Chester was the founder of National Electronics Corporation and built it into a successful business. While traveling around the world to build and promote his business, he never forgot his family and the many other Jewish people lost in the Holocaust. He dedicated himself to the memory of the Six Million Jewish People who perished in the Holocaust. Jack Chester was also involved in the local Jewish community as a major supporter of many Jewish organizations, including Douglas Gardens and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Jack Chester was a stalwart supporter of the State of Israel and was involved in numerous philanthropic activities there. To honor his father, Shmuel Schacter, z"l who perished in the Holocaust, he helped build the Cuban-Hebrew Congregation, Beth Shmuel Perhaps his greatest love and achievement was to be one of the founding members of the Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach. He dedicated a great deal of financial resources to help maintain this important landmark. At least once a week he would visit the Memorial personally to spend time with Holocaust Survivors who volunteer at the Memorial. This quiet man had the presence of a giant. His contribution to our community and especially to the State of Israel will never be forgotten and we will continue his great work and devotion to the Jewish people.
2001/2002 WINTER LECTURE SERIES: FOUR INSPIRING AUTHORS
The successful and most interesting 2001/2002 Winter Lecture Series was inaugurated on December 13, 2002 with an inspiring lecture by Dr. Nechama Tec at Temple Emanu-El, Miami Beach. Dr. Nechama Tec captured the hearts of an audience of 300 with her tale of how she studied the Jewish Resistance in the forests of Poland, and she was honored to interview the heroic and humble participants of the Resistance that she interview. Her book on the subject, Defiance: The Bielski Partisans, was published in 1993 under Oxford University Press. On January 10th, 2002 Dr. Robert-Jan Van Pelt addressed an audience of about 200 at the Cuban Hebrew Congregation, Miami Beach. Van Pelt is known for his testimony as one of the historians who presented the defense at the libel lawsuit brought against author Dr. Deborah Lipstadt and Penguin Press by Holocaust denier David Irving last year. His lecture on "Combatting Holocaust Denial" is timely in the light of the increased rise of hate groups. Since September 11th, 2001, the Wiesenthal Center reported that there are about 3000 extremist websites on the internet, of those there are at least 50 that are specifically Holocaust Denial Websites. There is a 20-30% chance that when searching for either "Holocaust" or "Auschwitz" on a search engine, that one would come up with an Extremist Hate Site. Van Pelt’s book on the trial, The Case for Auschwitz, is now out in bookstores. Dr. Michael Berenbaum revisited the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial Winter Lecture Series in February to discuss "Conspiracy: The Nazi Plan for the Final Solution." Dr. Berenbaum is a prolific writer and speaker on the Holocaust. His book, The World Must Know: A History of the Holocaust as Told in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, published in 1993 is one of the best resources available on the Holocaust. The Cuban Hebrew Congregation had a full attendance for the First Annual Jack Chester Lecture and reception. The final lecture of the series presented Thane Rosenbaum, who grew up in Miami Beach and graduated from Miami Beach High School and the University of Miami Law School. He is now a novelist of a well received post Holocaust trilogy. Rosenbaum spoke on his most recent novel, The Golems of Gotham, a whimsical story set in New York City and Miami Beach, and also addressed other related issues such as art and the Holocaust. The Holocaust Memorial Lecture Series 2001/2002 was part of the City of Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council´s 2nd Thursdays Monthly Miami Beach Arts Night.
VOLENTEER PROGRAMS AND TRIBUTES
On January 15th, 2002, The Holocaust Memorial Committee gathered for a special evening to honor all our volunteers. Thanks to Stephen and Sandra Muss for being gracious hosts at the Fontainebleau Hotel. In addition, Evelyn and George Goldbloom were presented a special gift in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary and for their dedication to the Holocaust Memorial. Our best wishes to Edith and Abe Rothenstein who volunteered at the Memorial for many years and have now moved on to Boynton Beach. You will always remain a part of our family. This year we initiated a special project, made possible through a grant from the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department, called Preserving the Legacy. Phase I was the filming of the Volunteer/Survivor stories. We hope to film more of the dynamic between the survivors and the schools that visit the Memorial. These films will be used for continuing the educational program in the future. Another related effort was to assist the survivors in recording their memoirs through the Writer’s Workshop (see article)
	On December 12, 2001 Dr. Gideon Greif, from Yad Vashem, a visiting professor at the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Miami, presented a workshop for our survivor/ volunteers called: "The Holocaust Survivor’s Eye Witness Testimony and His Role in Holocaust Education." The Holocaust Memorial has printed his lecture and made it available for survivors who wish to speak to schools and other groups. If you wish to receive a free copy of this booklet please call the Memorial at 305-538-1663. On February 4-5, 2002 a group of 22 volunteers, staff and committee members took a two day trip to visit the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg. A special luncheon was organized by the Museum staff. Special thanks to Larry Wasser, Stephen Goldman, Noreen Brand for making this a most memorable visit. It was a particular treat to have John Loftus, Past-President of the Florida Holocaust Museum offer greetings and speak to our group about his continuous research on Nazi war criminals and his commitment to Holocaust education. Mr. Loftus has excepted our invitation as a guest in our up coming lecture series.

VOLUNTEER PROFILE: Morris Rosenblat
	I was born in 1928 in Poland in a town called Brzeziny. I lived with my parents and my two brothers, Zvi and Benjamin. My aunts, uncles and grandparents lived in the same town. In 1942 the Nazis deported my family to the Lodz ghetto, where we stayed until 1943. When the Lodz ghetto was liquidated in 1943, we were deported to Auschwitz, and later on to Mauthausen and other smaller camps. I was liberated in 1945. No one survived from my family, except my brother Zvi and myself. Somehow by a miraculous way, we managed to stay together throughout the war. After the war ended, I lived in a Displaced Persons (DP)) camp in Austria. One day the soldiers of the Jewish Brigade visited our camp and tried to convince as many young Jewish boys to come to Palestine. We traveled by truck through Italy and we had to wait until we finally received permission to go to Palestine.
In 1945 my brother and I arrived in Palestine. We were sent to school for the next two years, where I learned the Hebrew language and where I was taught the history of Israel. While in school someone asked me where I came from and when they found out the name of my town, they told me there is a man with the same last name living in Tel Aviv. A short time later, they took me to Tel Aviv and I was surprised to meet my Uncle. I knew that uncle from Poland, but his family fled to Russia during the war and I had no idea what happened to them. In 1947 I enlisted in the Israeli army and served as a company sergeant in the Golani Brigade. It was the one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Just to think that a short while ago I was a prisoner in a concentration camp and a few years later I was a free man wearing the uniform of an Israeli soldier. In 1952 I moved to Canada and in 1967, I moved with my wife Riva, and my two sons, to Miami, Florida. After retiring from my business, I dedicated the past 10 years as a speaker to school children in public and private schools. In the past 8 years I have been volunteering at the Holocaust Memorial, one of the most amazing expressions of art and architecture, honoring my family and the families of many other survivors who live in the area. Once a week I help in the office and speak to many students every day. I truly believe that this Memorial has a powerful effect on all visitors.
YOM HAHOAH: Day of Remembrance and Israel Solidarity Rally
On April 9, 2002, approximately 5000 people from all parts of the community gathered at the Holocaust Memorial for a special Yom Hashoah Program and a show of support to the State of Israel. The Greater Miami Jewish Federation was instrumental in bringing the community together for this special event. We had the privilege and the honor to have as a guest speaker the honorable Jack Kemp, the co-founder of Empower America, who gave a passionate speech in support of the State of Israel. Among the other dignitaries were the Mayor of Miami Beach, David Dermer, the leaders of the Cuban-American community, the Consul General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico, the honorable Miki Arbel and Norman Braman, president of GMJF. This special day of remembrance began earlier in the day with the special program "Unto every person there is a name" where names of Holocaust victims, who are inscribed on the Memorial Wall, were read out loud by survivors and members of the community throughout the day. We wish to take this opportunity to thank the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, the City of Miami Beach, the many Survivor Organizations in South Florida, and to all the volunteers and program participants for their support and commitment to ensure the success of this year’s commemoration.
THE 2ND ANNUAL PEACEMAKER AWARD
	On May 21, 2002 St. Thomas University held a special luncheon for three honorees and presented them with the Peacemaker Medal. One of the honorees is our very own Rabbi Solomon Schiff, a founding member of the Holocaust Memorial, and Executive Vice President of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami. Rabbi Schiff received this award for his outstanding community service in the past four decades to bridge and develop an open dialogue with the Christian community in our area. As a result of his efforts a special ceremony held last year at the Archdiocese of Miami, where Rabbi Schiff presented the Archbishop a special Holocaust Menorah to be placed permanently at the Archdiocese courtyard.
We are very proud of his accomplishments and wish him continued success with this great mission for many years to come.
"DEAR ESTHER"
The community was offered a treat in honor of the Yom Hashoah commemorations. The play "Dear Esther", written about Esther Raab was presented by the Hillel Community Theatre at the newly dedicated sanctuary of Temple Emanu-El, Miami Beach. A Special presentation to Esther Raab was made in the evening performance. This play was a beautiful tribute to the survivors of the Holocaust on this important eve of Yom Hashoah, Day of Remembrance, April 9, 2002. It spoke to the travails, frustrations, hopes, and visions of so many people who endured the darkest hours of human history. The play deepened our understanding of how survivors prevailed and the internal walls they built around their hearts to deal with what they went through. Our hope is that everyone left that evening, encouraged to take these lessons form the Holocaust and commit to daily life and work to make this a better world. Through the generosity of Norma and Irma Braman, George and Evelyn Goldbloom, Sandra and Stephan Muss, Jimmy and Lidia Resnick, The Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the University of Miami, and a special grant from the State of Florida Cultural Arts Division, we were able to invite over 800 public and private school students for a special morning performance. Many thanks to the students and adults who performed, to Director Michael Andron, to Temple Emanu-El, and to Mrs. Sandra Muss who chaired this event.
CANTORIAL CONCERT
During the Passover holiday, our community was invited to the 2nd Annual Cantorial Concert, From Bondage to Freedom, held at the Holocaust Memorial, on Sunday, March 31, 2002. Cantor Yehuda Shiffman, of Temple Emanu-El served as the musical director and invited 17 vocal cantors and soloist from different Synagogues. Over 400 people gathered and listened to the best musicians and cantors the South Florida area had to offer. Each Cantor were presented with a special gift of "The Illustrated Torah." We wish to express our sincere appreciation to Cantor Yehuda Shiffman for his great effort and to Rabbi Solomon Schiff and Rabbi Leonid Feldman for their continuous support.
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL SCRAP BOOK
	Kenneth Treister, Sculptor, and Norman Braman, President of the Holocaust Memorial, presents the book A Sculpture of Love and Anguish, to President of the University of Miami, Donna Shalala. Also presenting, (center) Prof. Haim Shaked, Director of the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the U. of Miami, and Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff, Holocaust Memorial Education Director and the Holocaust Specialist with the Miami Dade County Public Schools.
Rabbi Shimon Dudai leads the gathering of World War II veterans in a special Memorial service which was part of The Sand in our Boots Reunion of veterans stationed in Miami Beach during WWII for training. Part of the ceremony included a presentation of colors from the 82nd Airborne Division South Florida Chapter and a member of the Jewish Brigade.
Donna Klein Academy with Dr. Itzchak Arad (center) from Yad Vashem, Israel.
A group of IDF (Israel Defense Force) soldiers and commanders who toured the United States, made a special visit to the Holocaust Memorial.
	The newly appointed Deputy Consul General of Israel, Matti Cohen (center) and the new Director of the Israeli House, Mrs. Michal Makby (right) listening to a riveting explanation by Joe Dziubak, a Holocaust Survivor and volunteer at the Holocaust Memorial, pointing out a picture of himself on the day of his liberation from Buchenwald at the age of 13. The picture is etched on the Harbor of History
EDUCATIONAL DIRECTORS'S REPORT - Dr. Miriam Klien Kassenoff
t is evident as we look back over the past year that the Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach has become a focal point and center for Holocaust Education in South Florida. In reflection and review of all the programs that have occurred this year, we are proud to present in this issue how we view the Memorial and its role in Holocaust Education. The Memorial As A Center in The Miami-Dade Public Schools Holocaust Education Program Educational tours to the Holocaust Memorial continue to be a very essential aspect of The Holocaust Studies program in the Miami Dade County Public Schools. This year over 50 Miami-Dade County Schools visited the Memorial. Teacher and student interest continues to be very high as can be witnessed by reading the letters from students in this newsletter. Joining our Miami Dade student tours this year, we also had students visiting the Memorial from private schools in Dade County as well as students from Broward County and West Palm Beach Public Schools. As always, we are in great appreciation to the Miami Dade County Public Schools and John Doyle, the Administrative Director of the Division of Social Sciences for their support. The Memorial As A Center For Additional Holocaust Educational Programs In The United States During this past year, our Education Programming also provided many opportunities for private schools, adult education programs and teacher institutes from around the United States. Educators and college students studying to be teachers visited the Memorial from Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Lakeland Florida. We also served as an educational center for the Jewish Educators Conference in January 2002. In the spring, we hosted students from Tennessee and New Jersey. The Memorial As A Center For Teacher Training We are very proud to say that our teacher training program has nation-wide recognition in that we are frequently asked for resource information from Holocaust Centers around the country. The most recent teacher training seminar co-sponsored by the Holocaust Memorial and the Miami-Dade County. Public Schools was made possible by a grant from the David and Regina Weinberg Family Foundation. This exceptional education seminar at the Palms Hotel, Miami Beach on April 24, 2002 featured Dr. Michael Berenbaum as the keynote speaker. The teachers learned how to use technology in teaching the Holocaust from Mark Weitzman of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. There were 70 high school social studies teachers present, and special guests from our Memorial Board included Wendy Rothfield, David Schaecter, and David Spigelman. The day ended with a candle lighting ceremony honoring our Survivor/Volunteers from the Holocaust Memorial. The Memorial As A Center For Community Education Programs In November 2001, the Holocaust Memorial co-sponsored with the Alper JCC the 21st Annual Jewish Book Fair. We are very pleased to say that all of our education programs are in cooperation with major community organizations; such as the United State Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, the Dora Teitelboim Center for Yiddish Culture, the Alper JCC, and Temple Emanu-El, whose support we very much value. An important collaboration for which we are most thankful is with the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the University of Miami which co-sponsors our prestigious and well-attended lecture series. Special kudos to Dr. Haim Shaked and Maxine Schwartz for their continuous loyalty and support.
MEMORY PROJECT: A WRITING WORKSHOP FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
This workshop, was designed exclusively for Holocaust Survivors by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) in Washington, DC. The program was so successful in Washington, that we duplicated it here in Miami Beach, Florida at the Holocaust Memorial during the past year. With the assistance of Ms. Gail Slatko, a Language Arts instructor, and through the writing process, we have just completed a very successful year in offering guidance in developing survivor memoirs. Our goal was for the survivors to record their experiences to share their legacy with their family and their friends.
LETTERS
Dear Holocaust Memorial, I would like to thank you on behalf of myself and the El Al Station in Miami, and to express our deep appreciation for the important and professional presentation that we received at the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach. Our late Prime Minister, Ytzchak Rabin said “To remind for those who tend to forget, and many are forgetting.” Some are saying that a crime like this could never be repeated, but that saying is not always true, that history does not repeat itself, especially in light of the new wave of anti-Semitism that is taking place around the world. I wish to thank you again and wish you continued success in this sacred work. With Regards, Manager El Al Miami Station.
The 5th Grade gifted class from North Hialeah Elementary School came to visit the Memorial on February 1, 2002. These two letters from the teachers and from a student are a sample of the hundreds of letters we receive each year: Dear Mr. Mizrachi, Our Elementary School gifted class visited the Holocaust Memorial on Friday. The visit is an experience that will be etched in our minds forever. The sights and sounds of the past were all around us. The memorial is a great honor to those who perished. We want to thank you and your staff for your assistance in making our visit meaningful. A survivor named Sabina Frydman shared the horrors of her experience during the Holocaust with us. She spoke with feelings and emotions that touched our minds and our souls. She is a very special lady. Her pain was evident, but her spirit and resolve to teach others so that nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again gave her words a heartfelt eloquence. Let us never let anything like the Holocaust happen again. Sincerely, Elaine Sadowski & Ibis Mendoza
Dear Mrs. Frydman, I want to thank you for what you’ve taught me. Before I heard about the Holocaust, I never knew that something so horrible could have happened. When I first heard about what the Germans did, it was very sad. What impressed me the most was the amount of people who died in the Holocaust. Also, the hand impressed me too. When I was smaller, I didn’t know what it meant, but now I do. I had a pleasure listening to a survivor for the first time in my life. When I have children and they start to learn about the Holocaust I will tell them about today. Your friend, Yasania Cruz