STATEN ISLAND, NY — Hundreds of Staten Island middle school students recently immersed themselves in the history of the Holocaust and also learned how to find empathy, courage and engage in dialogue in a time of rising anti-Semitism.

More than 500 Staten Island middle school students and their teachers were invited to visit the Jewish Heritage Museum in Manhattan for the ninth annual Kristallnacht and St. Louis commemoration of Egon J. Salmon and his family. The trip was organized by the Wagner College Holocaust Center, led by Lori Weintrob, in partnership with Salmon, and the New York City Department of Education (comm).

Students from three schools – Egbert Middle School (IS 2), Rocco Laurie Police Middle School (IS 72) and Paulo Middle School (IS 75) – visited the museum for three days during the week.

The students were divided into groups to attend a seminar and tour the museum’s two exhibits: “The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do” and “The Courage to Act: The Rescue in Denmark.”

During the seminar, students listened as Jon Salmon shared his family’s story, including that of his father Egon Salmon, a Holocaust survivor who fled Nazi Germany and landed on Staten Island with his parents.

Egon Salmon was only 9 years old when Adolph Hilter came to power, and five years later his father was arrested because of his Jewish faith. He left Germany with his mother and brother to find refuge in the United States. The family was eventually reunited and took up residence in Staten Island.

“They ended up on a ship called the St. Louis. They were refugees, and they wanted to be, they needed to get out. But few countries, including the United States, were willing to accept them… It took two years from that time before my family, my father, my aunt, my grandmother finally arrived in the United States. United,” remembers Jon Salmon.

Students were able to see the trunk that Salmon’s family used during their journey as refugees, which is on display in one of the museum’s exhibits.

“How can we confront the rising tide of hatred? How are you coping with the rising tide? Jon Salmon asked the students. “One solution is to increase educational and interfaith efforts. And never forget. We are happy to welcome everyone, of all faiths and backgrounds… it is up to you, your generation, the next generation, to learn from the mistakes of the past. Build bridges, don’t make enemies, make friends. We hope that this will be the result of today’s visit and that you will never forget what you see here.

Salmon’s story was followed by a brief history of the Holocaust by Weintrob, which details the horrors of the era and the large number of immigrants who sought refuge in other countries, notably the United States . Weintrob explained why the lessons of the Holocaust remain relevant today, connecting young refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers of 1939 and today.

There were also remarks from Wagner College President Jeffrey Doggett and Staten Island District 31 Community Connector Louis Bruschi.

“We operate our own Wagner College Holocaust Center because we believe messages of empathy and understanding are crucial, but also because we understand that when there is injustice, we must stand up and say something,” Doggett said.

He asked students to take a moment to think about what it must have been like for Egon Salmon to experience the Holocaust, and what it must have been like to “live in such a quiet world while it happened.” “.

“When you see stuff in the schoolyard, or you see stuff on the news, what does that make you feel? And what are you going to do about it? Because you are the next generation. My generation is here to teach you, but your generation has to stand up and take responsibility and learn from it, and that’s why I’m so happy to be here at Wagner College to welcome you all to this daytime. I hope you learn a lot and I hope it helps you determine who you’re looking for,” Doggett added.

The Rev. Karen Pershing, director of recovery and community initiatives for Project Hospitality, connected the experiences of Jewish immigrants to those of immigrants today, as well as ways students can help others. Fern Zagor, president of the Wagner College Holocaust Center, reminded students that their actions and standing up for others can help make the world a better place.

At the end of the seminar, students were asked to write on a butterfly what they would say to a refugee, whether during the Holocaust or today, sharing something new they learned or reflecting on past events. They also each received a bracelet reading: “Inspire Courage.”

Educators visited both exhibits with groups of students to explain the journey Jewish immigrants took from Denmark and the timeline of the Holocaust. Students immersed themselves in the storytelling of both exhibits, asking questions and learning history in an environment in which they were surrounded by information.

In “Courage to Act: Saving Denmark,” the exhibition recounts how Jewish and non-Jewish neighbors of all ages mobilized to create an example of mass resistance and flight during the Holocaust that would save almost 95% of Denmark’s Jewish population. population.

“What Hate Can Do” is an in-depth presentation of the history of the Holocaust told through personal stories, artifacts, photos and films. It is a 12,000 square foot exhibit featuring more than 1,250 original objects and survivor testimonies.