RIVERHEAD, NEW YORK (JANUARY 2024) — Holocaust survivor and acclaimed author Marion Blumenthal Lazan recently spoke to eighth-graders at Riverhead Middle School about her story of perseverance, incredible courage and determination throughout the Holocaust. Ms. Blumenthal Lazan discussed her experiences in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp as well as anti-Semitism and bigotry.
“By giving our students the opportunity to hear a first-hand account from survivors like Ms. Blumenthal Lazan, we are able to ensure that this dark, tragic period in world history will never be forgotten,” said the interim principal of Central School Riverhead District Cheryl Pedisich. “The district thanks Ms. Blumenthal Lazan for taking the time to speak with our students, faculty and staff, as well as for the outstanding work she is doing around the world in Holocaust awareness and education. ».
The assembly was one component of Riverhead Central School District's mission to foster and promote accepting, safe and respectful learning environments. Through this learning experience, the district enriches students' understanding of history and interaction with classroom materials and strengthens their character, values, and leadership. Survivor accounts, like Ms. Blumenthal Lazan's, resonate strongly. they let listeners into an important—yet heartbreaking—moment in history, evoke empathy, and encourage others to think deeply and act with compassion.
“If we don't learn from history, we are destined to repeat it,” said Riverhead Middle School Principal Dr. Joseph Pesqueira. “Being able to connect to the past with a primary source – someone who experienced it – takes learning to a different level. Her story is captivating, powerful and something I think all students should hear.”
Ms. Blumenthal Lazan discussed her journey and discussed the damage caused by hate speech, symbols and ideas. After sharing her story, she answered questions from dedicated students who wanted to learn more from such a courageous woman. Many students stayed after the assembly to take pictures with Ms. Blumenthal Lazan and have them sign autographs and copies of her memoir. She also implored everyone at the convention to share her story—and that of any other Holocaust survivor they have heard—with their friends, families, schools and communities.
“They are the last generation to hear these stories firsthand and have their questions answered,” Ms. Blumenthal Lazan said. “I encourage them to be polite, kind and respectful to each other. This is the basis for peace.”
To further reinforce the essential lessons of the assembly, Ms. Blumenthal Lazan will return to Riverhead Middle School in February to speak to the seventh grade class.
Marion Blumenthal Lazan has spoken to over a million people in 41 states and five countries about her story of hardship, hope and courage. She is the subject of the PBS documentary Marion's Triumph and author of the memoir Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story. She has received numerous honors for her work in Holocaust awareness and education, including the New York State Board of Regents Louis E. Yavner Citizen Award, a Special Citation in Congress, designation as a Woman of the New York State Senate and keys to the cities of Galesburg, Illinois, Owensboro, Kentucky, and Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in 2023, and the primary and secondary school Marion Blumenthal Oberschule in Hoya, Germany was named in her honor.
For more information about the Riverhead Central School District, visit the district's website at www.riverhead.net. Events in the area can also be followed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/riverheadCSD. #BlueWavesPride.
