TORONTO, November 19, 2007 -- The Azrieli Foundation, in partnership with York University’s Centre for Jewish Studies, will launch a series of five impassioned memoirs written by Holocaust survivors, on Wednesday, Nov. 21, as part of Holocaust Remembrance Month.
The inaugural launch of The Azrieli Foundation Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs will feature four readings and a keynote address by Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a renowned pop culture figure, human rights activist, psychosexual therapist, filmmaker and Holocaust survivor. She will recount her own experience as a survivor and discuss the value of memoirs by other Holocaust survivors.
Reading from their memoirs are John Freund, author of Spring's End, Rachel Shtibel of The Violin and Adam Shtibel, of A Child's Testimony. Excerpts from Henia Reinhartz's memoir, Bits and Pieces, will be read by her granddaughter, Miriam Walfish. The fifth book in the series is Getting Out Alive by Tommy Dick.
In their touching memoirs, the survivors recount their lives prior to the Holocaust, their harrowing experiences during wartime, and how they arrived in Canada with determined optimism. Each book has a scholarly introduction, providing historical context to the survivor’s ordeals.
Looking back, Adam Shtibel recalls dodging those who sought to kill him. “I walked almost all night. Every movement in the forest scared me. I was not afraid of ghosts, I was afraid of people.”
What makes one person endure when so many others succumb? The Azrieli Foundation Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs offers insight into an unpredictable mixture of luck, determination, intelligence, resourcefulness and resilience.
Sara Horowitz, Director of York’s Centre for Jewish Studies, is senior editor for the memoirs series. The books, published by The Azrieli Foundation – York University Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Publishing Program (Canada), will appeal to readers who have an interest in the Holocaust and the Canadian immigrant experience.
The books are free of charge to educational institutions and the unedited manuscripts will be donated to the Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections at York, where they will be available to students and faculty for research.
The launch is open to the public at no charge and will conclude with a book signing by the authors. Registration is required due to limited seating capacity. To reserve a seat, call 416 916 8619.
The Centre for Jewish Studies was established in 1989 at York University, which has been the Canadian pioneer in the study of the Holocaust. Many of the more than 40 faculty members affiliated with the Centre are well known internationally. While embracing Jewish culture in all its richness, and giving full weight to classical Jewish Studies, the Centre has a distinctly modern and interdisciplinary thrust and a strong Canadian core.
WHAT: The Azrieli Foundation Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2007, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St. West, Toronto
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
-- 30 --
Media Contacts:
Sara Horowitz, for information about the memoirs project, 416 736 5823.
Tamara Feder of The Azrieli Foundation, to register for the launch as media, 416 322 5928.
Mary-Lou Schagena, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 x22686 / schagena@yorku.ca
