In 1942, Ella Weissberger performed the role of the cat in the children’s opera Brundibar at the Theresienstadt concentration camp, in Terezin, Czechoslovakia—a show the Nazis staged as a decoy for International Red Cross inspectors and to fool visiting delegations and the world at large into thinking nothing suspicious was taking place there. Now, more than 70 years later, Ella, who is the last surviving performer from the original cast, will share her memories at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades on Thursday, April 16, 7-9 p.m., as part of the JCC’s annual Yom Hashoah Commemoration.

The opera, which was performed 55 times by children in Theresienstadt, is a fairy tale about a young brother and sister, who, with the help of a cat, a dog, a bird and the children of the village defeat an evil organ grinder named Brundibar. The opera ends with a victory song.

“The Nazis did not know that the victory song had a double meaning,” says Ella. “In our eyes, Brundibar was Hitler, and we wanted a victory over a terrible man. We were originally 15,000 children, and only 100 of us survived. It is by a miracle that I am here to talk about it. I was saved. I think I speak in the voices of those that didn’t make it.”

To underscore her story, members of the JCC Thurnauer School of Music Chorus will sing selections from the opera, and the Abe Oster Holocaust Remembrance Award will be awarded to a teen for composing an original piece of music that commemorates the Holocaust. The commemoration will also include a moving candle lighting ceremony led by five Holocaust survivors and their families, and a sixth with all survivors in attendance.

The program is made possible each year through the Martin Perlman & Jo-Ann Hassan Holocaust Education Institute. It is chaired by Tani Foger.

For more information, call Ruth Yung at 201.408.1418 or [email protected]