More than 200 Holocaust survivors came together at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust on Monday for the largest American commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
As one of the last generations of Holocaust survivors, these individuals were children during the war — and their stories and testimonies stand for current generations as powerful reminders of resilience, hope, and the necessity to ensure that such atrocities are never forgotten even with antisemitism on the rise.
The Jan. 27 event began with a simulcast from Poland of the official ceremony commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz, an experience made possible due to the Museum’s partnership with the Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial Foundation.
Jack Kliger, president and CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, emphasized the importance of this gathering in the context of rising misinformation and denial surrounding the Holocaust.
“We’re here to provide good information to counter bad information, and there’s a definite short window to get as much testimony and truthful storytelling out as possible,” Kliger told amNewYork Metro.
The gathering included testimonies, a performance by a children’s choir, and speeches from survivors and community leaders. As part of the ceremony, guests will feast together and share memories.
“There’s no place else in the US that could do this. It underscores how these events are such a testimony to resilience and renewal,” Kliger said. “If there’s two words, we always talked about being about remembrance and reputation, but now 30 years after we’ve opened, it’s resilience and renewal.”
Central to the event is launching the Museum’s new initiative, “Survivor Stories: An Interactive Dialog.” This initiative utilizes non-generative artificial intelligence technology as a host of personal connections between museum visitors and the recorded experiences of selected survivors. Through this program, visitors can pose questions and receive authentic responses drawn from pre-taped interviews with the survivors.
Toby Levy, who lived in hiding for two years as a child during the Holocaust, was among the survivors attending Monday’s memorial event. Her family escaped the Nazis, but decades later, the deep emotional scars from the experience remain.
“I am a witness to it,” Levy said, emphasizing her role in keeping history alive. “It won’t go away. When people try to deny that it ever happened, they can come to the museum and hear my story. My father always said, ‘Somebody will survive to tell the world what happened.’ Now, 80 years later, I’m fulfilling my father’s wish.”
Levy’s sentiment was echoed by fellow survivor Alice Ginsberg, who at 13, was imprisoned in Auschwitz for a year.
“It’s important that by telling my story, it’ll never happen again,” Ginsberg told amNewYork Metro. “We must fight injustice because hate is like a disease—it’s happening all over. Even though it happened 80 years ago, I still feel the pain of it.”
Ginsberg’s poignant recollection reveals how trauma from the past continues to shape the lives of those affected.
“It’s not easy for us to reminisce about what went on,” she said. “I still remember that last hug and kiss from my mother and sister. It was 80 years. But I know.”
One of the intriguing aspects of the Survivor Stories initiative is its focus on interactivity.
“We’ve made an effort to include diverse voices, including men and women from different backgrounds, to give everyone a chance to engage with our history,” Kliger said.
The program aims to bridge generational gaps, allowing younger visitors to ask questions that they may have about the Holocaust, while learning directly from those who lived through it.
Another attendee, Lisa Baer, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to share her story as part of this initiative.
“I’m glad future generations can talk to me,” Baer said. “It’s something I never thought I’d be doing.”
New Yorkers can visit the new Survivor Stories: An Interactive Dialog at the museum located at 36 Battery Place in Lower Manhattan.
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