On this year’s Yom HaShoah, TABC students, parents and faculty had the privilege of hearing from Emil Fish. Mr. Fish is a Holocaust survivor from Bardejov, Slovakia, and has dedicated his life to Holocaust education. He founded the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee dedicated to the education and commemoration of the Holocaust in Bardejov, as well as to the restoration of the still-standing Jewish structures in the town which once had a thriving Jewish community but today is home to no Jews. Mr. Fish also spearheaded and endowed a Holocaust and genocide studies graduate school program at Yeshiva University, published a book and, most recently, produced a film based on the story of Bardejov during the Holocaust. In a Q&A format with TABC senior Yaakov Beyda, Mr. Fish relayed his experiences growing up, surviving the war in hiding, being caught by the Gestapo, and being sent to Bergen-Belsen. He reminded the audience of how quickly the world forgets “Never Again” and the importance of continued education. Students, parents and faculty were moved by Mr. Fish’s recollections of his and his family’s experiences in not only surviving but starting anew. An ensemble of TABC students then performed a moving rendition of “Ani Maamin” to conclude the program.
