Living Historians at Masada
Year 10 students at Masada College have presented their Living Historians program based upon their interviews with Holocaust Survivors who are now resident at the Montefiore Home.
Clare Kadar with Year 10 students
Kim Gamaroff (Year 10) presents Adrian Van As with a gift.
In front of the survivors and their families the students outlined the experiences of these survivors during the Holocaust, the historical context in which it occurred, and their own feelings relating to the importance of continuing to bare witness for those who may not always be around to do so. The project gave the students the opportunity to listen first-hand to the testimony of the victims of an atrocity which they had only learnt about in Jewish History. Survivors included Ella Gayer, Agnes Gyermati, Clare Kadar and Clair Mair. They were also privileged enough to interview Adrian Van As, the Dutch member of the Righteous Amongst the Nations who saved over 2000 Jews at Westerburk Transit Camp in Holland during World War Two. Having Mrs Walter, grandmother of Sophie, a Year 10 student, share her story with the students, also gave the program a very personal connection for all the students. Each of the survivors was given a butterfly plaque to recognise their contribution to the students’ understanding of their heritage, a contribution that could not be taken from any text book.
