Adobe Stock
As the U.S. commemorates Days of Remembrance for victims of the Holocaust, the Fort Worth Public Library is preparing to host a survivor who'll be sharing a firsthand account of their experience this Tuesday.
The Fort Worth Public Library is teaming up with Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) to present “A Holocaust Survival Story,” a webinar event featuring a talk with a Holocaust survivor. The webinar will be held via Zoom at noon on Tuesday, and those interested in attending can register here. JFCS education manager Penny Savryn will moderate the event, which includes a firsthand account of the Holocaust by survivor Leon R. and Q&A to follow.
“A Holocaust Survival Story” is a program put on by the Adult Services department within the Fort Worth Public Library in coordination with JFCS. The California-based organization, which seeks to educate the Northern California area about Jewish history, runs the JFCS Holocaust Center dedicated to researching and remembering the historic event in which 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis during World War II.
“One of the great things about virtual programming right now is that we can bring in these speakers from California very easily and broaden that experience and conversation,” says Jana Hill, manager of the Fort Worth Public Library Adult Services.
The event is being held less than a week after Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, also known as Yom HaShoah — a national U.S. day of remembrance established by the U.S. Congress that will be commemorated Thursday.
The adult programming at the library intends to spark important conversations throughout the year — not only during specific months or on the days of special recognition — while also acknowledging the significance of those special days. “We try to bring diversity into our programming,” Hill says.
While the event is one of Fort Worth Public Library’s adult programs, “A Holocaust Survival Story” may be a great event for teenagers, Hill says. The program is for “anyone interested in expanding their understanding of the scope of 20th-century history and how we've gotten to where we are today — anyone who's interested in diversity and tolerance and making our communities vital and having these important conversations.”
Hill says this program achieves several parts of the Fort Worth Public Library’s strategic plan aimed at building a community through education and conversation, allowing people from all over Fort Worth to come together. Both the adult and youth programs focus on art and culture while encouraging everyone to be lifelong learners.
“This program really hits the culture side where we are really trying to bring history to life and not just make it an abstraction, but that this is real stuff that happened to real people, maybe people in your community,” Hill says. “Then there is the lifelong learning component, and lifelong education can take a lot of different forms. This is one of those forms.”