As students filed into the MPR on Friday, April 8, they looked around at the pictures on the walls. As the MPR filled to capacity, the students saw images of scared families and desperate refugees. Images of starved faces and beaten people. Images of bombed out cities and overflowing train cars. Images from the Holocaust.
On the wall facing the students was a quote from George Santayana that summarized the thought behind the event, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Underneath the quote was a large yellow Star of David like the one that Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust.
The program started with a Holocaust survivor describing their experiences during the Holocaust. Following their story was a Q&A session where students could ask the survivor questions about their life before, during or after the Holocaust to gain a deeper understanding of what the Holocaust was like for the survivor.
This event is held every year in the MPR, with a very diverse audience from all around school. This event was a great way for the students and faculty to learn about as well as remember the Holocaust. It brings the stories and events of the Holocaust to life through the memories of the survivors, and provides a reminder about one of the darkest parts of world history.