Students honor Holocaust Remembrance Day

Students throughout the Lynbrook Public School District recognized the millions who were massacred during the Holocaust in recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27.

At North and South middle schools and Lynbrook High School, 8th and 10th graders gathered to view “The Barn,” a sobering documentary that features Rachel Kastner and her grandfather, Karl Shapiro, as they follow his story of survival in the face of unspeakable evil. In Ukraine, a Polish farmer hid Karl and 17 other Jews for a year and a half in a secret basement underneath his barn. The emotional journey takes Kastner and Shapiro to the place Shapiro swore he would never return. Although the memories were difficult to recount, Kastner experienced the tight living conditions her grandfather lived through and understood the insurmountable odds he overcame to survive.

The students watched attentively and empathetically connected to the struggle Shapiro experienced not long ago. Kastner joined the livestream of the documentary and spoke to students to answer questions about the experience. Students submitted engaging questions about the things she learned about her family and the many Jews attacked during the Holocaust. Kastner’s story exemplified the importance of passing down such stories through generations.

At the elementary schools, students honored the victims and their families through artistic expression. Beautiful butterfly murals stand at Marion Street, Waverly Park and West End, which acknowledge the individuals lost and promote messages of hope. West End students met virtually in the morning as Principal Leah Murray read the book, “Martin and Anne,” by Nancy Churnin, which recounts the struggles of Martin Luther King Jr. and Anne Frank, who were born the same year. Fifth graders in social studies classes at each building engaged in lessons about the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of recognizing this harrowing event.

— Ben Fiebert