Participants in “Witness Theater” will perform for Holocaust Day of Remembrance on Monday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. The production will be held at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, 11710 Hunters Lane, Rockville Maryland 20852. Photo contributed
In 1998, the last generation of Holocaust survivors and sixteen enthusiastic high school students met in Israel to share the heartfelt stories of their lives and survival at the hands of the Nazis. The youth wanted to preserve these memories and the survivors hoped to educate future generations to understand that they must never let a holocaust happen again. Because of this collaboration between the youth and survivors, an important educational legacy was created. It is called the Witness Theater, and has been performed throughout the United States.
Witness Theater commemorates Yom Hashoah, the national Holocaust Day of Remembrance. This intergenerational program will be performed for the first time in the Washington area on Monday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. The production will be held at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, 11710 Hunters Lane, Rockville Maryland 20852. Admission is free and all are welcome to share the meaningful experience of this performance.
Witness Theater is a culmination of heartfelt survivors’ stories and of all they had to endure. For many of the survivors, this was the first opportunity to share their story with the world. The stories told were honest, forthright and one more step toward their healing. They entrusted the youth with their hearts and their life experiences – and through the experience, both the youth and survivors formed bonds of friendship, mutual respect and caring.
The survivors who will be honored are Ruth Cohen, Agi Geva, Halina Yasharoff Peabody, Rita Lifschitz Rubinstein and Yves Gerard Issembert. Cohen was born on April 26, 1930 in Mukachevo, Czechoslovakia. She says, “Having survived the tragic events of the Holocaust, I am happy that my Dad survived and was able to help my sister and me cope with our new life. I felt and still feel very fortunate being alive and having my most wonderful family with me.” Ruth Cohen and her husband, Ben, have three children and eight grandchildren.
Geva was born June 2, 1930 in Budapest, Hungary. She credits her parents with her survival. Her mother was always one step ahead of whatever the family faced and her father wisely insisted that she learn a variety of languages that made her a useful prisoner. Agi has two children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Issembert (second generation) was born May 30, 1947 in Paris, France. He is the son and grandson of survivors. He says, “I grew up among survivors and despite their best efforts to shield me, I learned early that there is darkness beyond darkness.” Gerard is married to BRAVO producer Laurie Levy Issembert and has two children and two grandchildren.
The student actors from local schools have gained an understanding and perspective from performing in the production. Ava Klugerman recently celebrated her Bat Mitzvah in Israel where she spent time at Yad Vashem. She says, “I am honored to be a part of Witness Theater and to garner first-hand knowledge of the incredible bravery and resiliency of all Jews during the Holocaust, particularly the courageous survivors in this program.”
For his Bar Mitzvah project, Will Sexter took part as a Friendly Visitor with a Holocaust Survivor through JSSA and has enjoyed getting to know more courageous survivors in Witness Theater. “As my generation is the last that will be able to meet Holocaust survivors in person, I dedicate my performance to those who did not survive, and to keeping the memories of the Holocaust alive.”
Jordyn White “loves theater and feels honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this program as part of my Bat Mitzvah project. I especially was moved by spending time with and learning the stories of the survivors.”
Jordan Block dedicates his performance to the survivors and victims of the Holocaust. Evan Gerstenblith hopes his participation in Witness Theater will help keep the memory of the Holocaust alive, ensuring that it never happens again. Evan dedicates his performance to all survivors and especially thanks those involved in this presentation for sharing their stories.
HONORED SURVIVORS
RUTH COHEN was born on April 26, 1930 in Mukachevo, Czechoslovakia. “Having survived the tragic events of the Holocaust, I am happy that my Dad survived and was able to help my sister and me cope with our new life. I felt and still feel very fortunate being alive and having my most wonderful family with me.” Ruth and husband, Ben, have three children and eight grandchildren.
AGI GEVA was born June 2, 1930 in Budapest, Hungary. She credits her parents with her survival. Her mother was always one step ahead of whatever the family faced and her father wisely insisted that she learn a variety of languages that made her a useful prisoner. Agi has two children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
HALINA YASHAROFF PEABODY was born December 12, 1932 in Krakow, Poland. She survived in Poland with her mother and sister under assumed identities as Catholics. Halina has two sons and two granddaughters.
RITA LIFSCHITZ RUBINSTEIN was born December 12, 1936 in Vascauti, Romania. “I survived because as a young child I was lucky to have my mother always beside me. She was my protector, my love, strength and perseverance blocking out the fear, hunger and sadness that I felt.” Rita was married to Nathan Rubinstein and is blessed with three daughters and eight grandchildren.
YVES GERARD ISSEMBERT (second generation) was born May 30, 1947 in Paris, France. He is the son and grandson of survivors. “I grew up among survivors and despite their best efforts to shield me, I learned early that there is darkness beyond darkness.” Gerard is married to Laurie Levy Issembert and has two children and two grandchildren.
Honored Survivors Ruth Cohen, Agi Geva, Halina Yasharoff Peabody and Ruth Lifschitz Rubinstein are volunteers at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
INSPIRED STUDENTS
JORDAN BLOCK is a seventh grader at North Bethesda Middle School. “I would like to dedicate my performance to the survivors and victims of the Holocaust.”
EVAN GERSTENBLITH is an eighth grader at CESJDS. He hopes that his participation in Witness Theater will help keep the memory of the Holocaust alive, ensuring that it never happens again. Evan dedicates his performance to all survivors and especially thanks those involved in this presentation for sharing their stories.
AVA KLUGERMAN is a seventh grader at Robert Frost Middle School who recently celebrated her Bat Mitzvah in Israel where she spent time at Yad Vashem. “I am honored to be a part of Witness Theater and to garner first hand knowledge of the incredible bravery and resiliency of all Jews during the Holocaust, particularly the courageous survivors in this program.”
WILL SEXTER is a ninth grader at CESJDS. For his Bar Mitzvah project, he took part as a Friendly Visitor with a Holocaust Survivor through JSSA and has enjoyed getting to know more courageous survivors in Witness Theater. “As my generation is the last that will be able to meet Holocaust survivors in person, I dedicate my performance to those who did not survive, and to keeping the memories of the Holocaust alive.”
JORDYN WHITE is a seventh grader at Cabin John Middle School. “I love theater and feel honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this program as part of my Bat Mitzvah project. I especially was moved by spending time with and learning the stories of the survivors.”