Antisemitism at Long Island school prompts lecture from Holocaust memorial speaker
A Long Island school district is showing how it is fighting back against the spread of antisemitism.
Following a hate incident that was reported at a middle school, officials in Suffolk County's Three Village Central School District made a promise to do better. On Wednesday, they turned to a second-generation Holocaust survivor to open the eyes of hundreds of students to a different culture.
"I am here to shake you up, to wake you up"
Dr. Bernie Furshpan, vice chair of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance center of Nassau County, is constantly spreading the idea that love trumps hate.
During a visit to Ward Melville High School, Furshpan spread a message to an assembly of 400 sophomores.
"I am here to shake you up, to wake you up. Hate has no discrimination. You guys understand this concept. Hate is like cancer," Furshpan said.
School leaders said his visit was part of the district's ongoing commitment to educate students about respecting cultural differences. It followed a recent letter sent out to parents about antisemitism incidents at Paul J. Gelinas Junior High School, including kids taunting Jewish students during a Holocaust lesson.
"They are inheriting this broken world. They don't have to inherit hate," Furshpan said.
Furshpan explained to the 10th graders how his brave, late father was just 10 years old when he survived the Holocaust by living in a forest in Poland for three years, after the Nazis had killed his family and took over the village.
"What he went through during the Holocaust is really just a vehicle to inspire them to do better," Furshpan said.
"They can change the direction of society"
According to the UJA Federation of New York, only 8% of households in Suffolk County are Jewish, six points less than in Nassau County.
Furshpan says when kids are unaware of what other cultures went through, we all lose.
"They need to get on the inside of different cultures so they understand how they evolved so they will be more respectful," Furshpan said. "They can change the direction of society so we are more tolerant and accepting of each other."
Many students said the lecture resonated with them.
"It's helpful to hear a story like this," Amartya Das said.
"Hearing a personalized journey of survival and resilience, it really tells you about the power in humanity," Aiden Leek added.
Wednesday marked the first time the school held an event of this type, but it said it will not be the last. School leaders said the lecture was scheduled before the antisemitic remarks were made, but added they're dedicated to adding more lessons like this into their curriculum.
