Marion Blumenthal Lazan knows the hell and horrors of the Holocaust firsthand. She was a nine-year-old girl when she and her family were prisoners at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where Anne Frank and 50,000 other innocent souls lost their lives.
Blumenthal Lazan estimated she has shared her important story to over one million students and adults in 41 states and five different countries, which now includes a group of eighth grade students at Eastport-South Manor Jr.-Sr. High School students.
“You are the last generation to hear our stories firsthand. It is you who will have to bear witness of the Holocaust, which must be studied and kept alive for generations to come,” said Blumenthal Lazan to the eighth graders, who are currently reading her book, “Four Perfect Pebbles.”
Before the assembly, students spent time in the classroom studying Holocaust survivors and those who survived Europe’s concentration camps.
The assembly ended with Mrs. Blumenthal Lazan asking students to practice love, respect and tolerance toward one another, to look for similarities, respect differences and to never generalize a group by the actions of others.
Following the powerful presentation, the South Shore Press spoke to ESM English teachers Kelly Murphy and Jennifer Alvarado about the importance of students receiving a “living history lesson” on the horrors of the Holocaust.
South Shore Press: “Why is it so important to have Marion Blumenthal Lazan speak directly to students?”
Murphy: “We have read about History in our textbooks. We have “Googled” topics on the Internet. We watched documentaries on the History channel. But there are very few opportunities in our lives to actually sit in the same room as someone who has survived and truly lived moments of History. Our students had the unique experience and privilege of hearing first-hand from a woman who is both a witness to, and as a Holocaust survivor, a victim of history. She spread a message of hope, courage, and compassion shared with our students. At 90-years-old, her story is one of survival.”
Alvarado: “As years pass, there are less and less Holocaust survivors. Teaching the history behind the Holocaust and reading stories of firsthand accounts in the classroom impacts the students greatly; but being able to see a survivor tell her personal story affects students on a much deeper level. This most likely will be the last generation of children to ever meet with and speak to Holocaust survivors, and it is up to them to share her story and spread her messages. Her visit allows for a connection to form with the students. She is no longer just a name, but a face, a personality, and history comes alive for the students when she enters the auditorium.”
South Shore Press: “What kind of impact on students did her story have?”
Murphy: “Students definitely seemed to have a newfound respect for survivors of all kinds. They recognized the importance of hope and perseverance.”
Alvarado: “They found it amazing that after such horrific events, she was able to keep her faith in humanity and share such valuable life lessons. They thought her bravery was incredible and recognized that the support of others around her gave her the strength to achieve all of her goals.”
South Shore Press: “How beneficial is it to hear a ‘living history lesson’ directly from a survivor compared to reading about the Holocaust in a book?”
Murphy: “To get a more accurate learning about the Holocaust from a firsthand perspective. While books are wonderful and informative, sometimes it can be difficult to convey emotion through the text. The words come alive when the author visits and speaks to us directly. We are able to see, feel, and hear the emotion behind her words and it provides us with more insight into the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the person. It creates an experience that is so much deeper than learning about a story, but feeling it as well.”
South Shore Press: “What lessons do you hope students received from her visit?”
Alvarado: “It is always interesting hearing students share what their takeaways were. Some of their reflections consisted of the following:
To be more grateful for what we have; never take things for granted, even the simple things; to treat people equally and never discriminate against a group of people for differences; be respectful no matter what; to be kinder to others… you never know what people have gone through, or are currently going through; to always have faith and keep pushing forward; to never judge an entire group of people for one individual’s actions; the significance of having hope in your heart and to never give up even in the toughest of times; to always be an upstander and not a bystander. We hope the students truly understand that the future of our world is in their hands. They can make the difference in how people are treated and the events that become the history being taught in future classes.”