Holocaust Education

Abe Landau’s Memoir Launched at a Festive and Memorable Event
By Marsha Onufrak and Cindy Yoken
From the Fall 2011 Jewish Messenger.>

Mary Schwartz and Joe ThomasOver 300 people remembered and celebrated Abe Landau at the book launch for his Holocaust memoir, Branded On My Arm and In My Soul on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 23rd at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Jews and non-Jews gathered together to learn about Abe’s journey and his triumphant spirit through stories and photos. Spinner Publications partnered with the Jewish Federation of Greater New Bedford to bring this project to fruition.

Ann Landau Kanter and Lauren Joy Kanter in front of the portrait of Abraham LandauAs guests mingled, they had an opportunity to view mementoes from Abe’s tailor shop, documents about Abe from UMass Dartmouth, and incredible photo-graphs on display, prepared by Jay Avila from Spinner Publications, while listening to wonderful music from Danny Schwartz and his combo. During the program Joseph Thomas, editor of Spinner Publications, explained how Abe approached him with his story and how his friend Eddie Rudnick urged him to complete the project. Then he introduced Mary Schwartz, the first Chairperson of the Holocaust Committee, who re-counted how Abe captivated his audiences of school children with stories of his experiences. Marsha
Left to right: Diane Bolton, Gale Schultz, Pearl Adams, and Rev. Pamela ColeMcCabe, an editor on the book, spoke about the challenging editing and research process so as to maintain the integrity of Abe’s story. Finally, Abe’s daughter, Ann Landau Kantor, reminisced about her parents and how much this project has meant to her family. Her husband Dennis read the words of their daughter Lauren Joy (who had laryngitis) recalling that her grandfather had told her that everyone was the same and to have faith and believe in people’s better nature. The lineup of speakers was completed by brief remarks by the Mayor of New Bedford Scott W. Lang. Read more about this event in the Fall 2011 Jewish Messenger.>>>

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Holocaust Education

2011 Yom HaShoah Commemoration Focused on Children
By Cindy Yoken
From the Summer 2011 Jewish Messenger.>

Mayor Scoot Lang reads Psalm 23 from his father’s prayer book.

On May 1, 2011, over 200 people from the greater New Bedford community observed Yom HaShoah at the Holocaust monument and at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. This year's theme, "Shattered Lives: Children During the Holocaust" was the focus for this year's study of the Holocaust in the local schools. Children from the Bernard H. Ziskind School of Judaism and from the local schools lit candles at the monument in memory of the children and others who perished in the Holocaust, and carried their candles to Tifereth Israel to begin the evening's program. Janet Applefield, the speaker this year, told her moving story as a child hidden in Poland, separated from her mother and father. Her mother had died at Auschwitz, but fortunately, Janet was reunited with her father after the war and they came together to America where they started a new life.

Cindy Yoken, Rev. Pamela Cole, Janet Applefield, and Judith Klein

This year again, the Holocaust Committee collaborated with the No Place for Hate program of the City of New Bedford. Under this collaboration, elementary and middle school students from New Bedford public schools participated in two afternoon programs teaching Holocaust through music and art. For the first time, this year's Yom HaShoah program included a music selection by Lincoln School students directed by music director Peter Arteaga sang two Holocaust-themed songs. Additionally, Keith Middle School students created Holocaust art projects under the direction of Judith Klein. These art projects were displayed during the evening at the Yom HaShoah observance along with the fabulous art projects done by the students at Bishop Stang High School. After their summer reading of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Bishop Stang students created their own projects in art and poetry to describe their impressions of the Holocaust. Several students also read their poetic creations at the evening's program.

This spring, the Holocaust Committee had been involved with raising the funds for the publication of the Holocaust memoir of Abraham Landau: Branded on my Arm and in my Soul. Thanks to the generosity of many people in the community, to the Jewish Federation, and to the Warren and Mitzi Eisenberg Foundation, the funds were raised and the book will be published in September 2011. It was an honor for us to have Abe's daughter Ann and her husband Dennis at our Yom HaShoah observance this year and to have the first drafts of the book available for those in attendance to peruse. The Holocaust Committee and Spinner Publications will be having a book launching event on September 11, 2011 to introduce Abe's book. More information about this event to follow.

Abe Landau's daughter Ann with her husband Dennis.

On August 4 th, at 9:30 am, Jim Wilcox, the cochair of the Holocaust Committee, will present a workshop "The Holocaust: Fact and Fiction Myth and Reality" at an upcoming meeting of the Holocaust Committee. The workshop will examine the facts of the Holocaust versus the attempts at denial as well as the topics of Holocaust fiction and Holocaust hoaxes. The workshop is free and open to the community.

Read more in the Summer 2011 Jewish Messenger.>

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