On Monday, October 25, the whole eighth grade began a project called Names, Not Numbers©. In the program, students interview Holocaust survivors and edit the interviews, which are in turn made into a documentary.
The program began with powerful words from Rabbi Hecht, Middle School Principal, who spoke about the magnitude of a project like this. He explained that it is so crucial for the students to participate and internalize the stories so that they can pass them on to the future generations. He explained that some things you need to forget in order to move on. On the other hand, something like the Holocaust can never be forgotten.
The next speaker was Mrs. Tova Rosenberg, the creator of Names, Not Numbers©. Mrs. Rosenberg gave an inspirational speech about how important this project is and how lucky we are to get the chance to participate in this program.
After Mrs. Rosenberg, the students watched a 20-minute clip of an interview with Dr. Moshe Avital z”l. The students sat spellbound, watching his story. It is something that we are sure will stay in their memories for a very long time.
Next, there was a presentation by Mrs. Shoshana Soroka, editor of the Five Towns Jewish Home. Mrs. Soroka gave us tips on how to talk and interview Holocaust survivors. Mrs. Soroka did an amazing job of guiding the students. She was so engaging and listened intently as each student suggested certain types of questions. She went through the interview and explained how there would be questions about the time before the war, during the war, and after the war. Mrs. Soroka explained what types of questions would be best. She talked about what happens if the survivor cries or is silent for a bit.
The eighth grade is looking forward to participating in this project.
