Last Tuesday, BPY students participated in a very spiritual and meaningful Yom HaShoah program. Grades four and five had the privilege of meeting with the great grandmother of fifth grader Shua Cohen. Miriam Fiber was born in a labor camp, and she shared her poignant story with an inspiring sense of positivity—of how she grew from the severe challenges she faced, of the hope of Am Yisrael to survive and grow, and what it meant to have emunah after the terrible tragedy of the Shoah. Mrs. Fiber also answered the students’ questions, each with a big smile, and led the entire conversation toward the great lesson of Am Yisrael Chai.
Middle school students experienced a moving, inspirational tekes prepared by Morah Racheli Gothelf. The tekes started with a moment of silence and siren, as is widely observed in Israel, followed by a reading of actual letters written by children during the Shoah—asking the world not to be silent, and echoing a strong voice of emunah, courage and hope. One of the climactic moments of the program was a presentation to the students by Member of Knesset Ofir Sofer, minister of Aliyah and Integration. Minister Sofer recited the “Kel Malei Rachamim” and spoke with passion and inspiration—all in Ivrit, of course—about challenge and hope, and the dream of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael. The students were mesmerized by the his uplifting message.
Minister Sofer was joined in his visit by his Chief of Staff Barak Kronenfeld, advisors Elky Bergstein and Zev Gershinsky, Executive Vice President of Nefesh B’Nefesh Dror Offen, Nefesh B’Nefesh Director of Government Relations Tani Kramer, and their director of Strategic Planning.
Following the Yom HaShoah tekes, the delegation visited various Yom HaShoah “stations” that were part of the middle school program. The stations focused on different themes: children in the Shoah, life in the ghetto, religious and cultural survival in the ghetto, Jewish heroism, Anne Frank and Janusz Korczak. Members of the visiting delegation reflected on how impressed they were by the level of Ivrit spoken by everyone, the students’ connection to Eretz Yisrael and the beautiful display of midot by BPY students.
