For Romy Fruman and Harley Moritz, history isn’t confined to textbooks or timelines — it is something to be preserved and passed forward with care.
The 14-year-old Hewlett High School freshmen have distinguished themselves with a series of deeply researched, community-centered Holocaust education projects that bridge generations and transform remembrance into action. Together they have demonstrated how young people can take ownership of history and ensure that its lessons endure.
Their most recent work, an educational packet centered on the Kindertransport, the rescue mission that saved nearly 10,000 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe in the months before World War II — was designed for fifth- and sixth-graders. For their efforts, the Herald is proud to name Romy and Harley its 2025 People of the Year.
“We’re really happy that our hard work and our goal is finally coming true,” Romy said. “People are finally benefiting from this, and we’re just really happy that we’re impacting this amazing topic.”
The packet, a collaboration with the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center, in Glen Cove, offers educators an accessible way to teach a complex and emotional chapter of history, blending historical context with personal narratives to foster understanding and empathy.
“I was very impressed by their commitment of spreading the word about the Kindertransport project and the Kindertransport in general,” Donna Rosenblum, the center’s director of education, said. “They were so passionate, and they really felt if they didn’t know this part of Holocaust history, that many kids were not aware of it as well.”
Rather than presenting the Kindertransport as a distant event, the girls framed it as a story of moral responsibility, resilience and the consequences of both action and inaction.
Seven Long Island school districts have made the packet part of their curriculum — Glen Cove, Hauppauge, Hewlett-Woodmere, Hicksville, Long Beach, Merrick and Port Washington.
“Their dedication and commitment shows no bounds,” Rosenblum said. “They are very responsible, and really want this project to grow.”
The project grew out of earlier, equally meaningful efforts. For an eighth-grade National History Day project at Woodmere Middle School last year, Romy and Harley conducted extensive research and documentation of Manfred Korman, a Kindertransport survivor, working to preserve firsthand testimony at a time when such voices are becoming increasingly rare.
“We’re at a time when we believe that our young people lack empathy,” Dina Anzalone, superintendent of the Hewlett-Woodmere School District, said. “Yet Romy and Harley prove otherwise.”
Their work emphasized not only historical accuracy, but also human connection, ensuring that Korman’s story would not be lost to time. “They didn’t just learn about the past events,” Anzalone said. “They connected it to the present, and inspired hundreds of young students to do the same.”
The girls presented their work to more than 150 fourth- and fifth-graders at Hewlett and Ogden elementary schools in May and June.
“It made me so excited to go there and teach younger students,” Harley said. “I just wanted to walk out of there knowing I did something amazing for the school and teaching young kids they should want to remember the Holocaust. It’s such a heartfelt topic that can be sad and hopeful at the same time.”
During the presentations, the students and staff at Hewlett and Ogden learned that the children of the Kindertransport had inspired the creation of Paddington Bear. The Kindertransport children had badges around their neck with their names and addresses, and Paddington’s tag reads, “Please look after this bear.”
“This is the promise of education,” Anzalone added. “To leave the world a better place then when you came into it. Look at the one small spark that started in eighth grade and see the impact it’s made.”
Both girls Romy are involved in a variety of clubs and organizations within and outside the high school. Romy is a member of the drama and debate clubs; the jazz band, in which she plays guitar; the Hebrew Culture Club and the Key Club; and she plays lacrosse.
Harley is a member of the Debate Club, the Mock Trial Club and Model U.N., plays varsity tennis and lacrosse and manages the junior varsity girls’ basketball team.
Both serve as board members of CTeen Against Antisemitism, overseen by adviser Hadassah Geisinsky of the Chabad of the Five Towns.
“Watching them grow and take responsibility for keeping the Jewish memory alive has been incredible for myself and for other teens in the organization,” Geisinsky said. “They transformed the project into a message of remembrance, and watching them do this proves our future is in good hands.”
The focus of the CTeen program is on remembering the past, speaking out against hate and making sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
“The project shows responsibility to the Jewish people and their story,” Geisinsky said. “Their impact is strong and real. As a motherly figure to these girls, watching them devote themselves to the children of the Kindertransport moved me.”
The girls’ commitment to remembrance extends beyond the classroom to the Holocaust center. They were invited to speak at a Kindertransport memorial bench unveiling in May. The bench serves as both a tribute to victims and survivors and a reminder of the importance of standing against hatred and intolerance.
By helping bring the memorial to life, Romy and Harley transformed research into a long-lasting physical symbol of remembrance.
What sets them apart is the continuity of their work. These were not isolated assignments, but a growing body of projects unified by purpose to educate their peers, honor Holocaust survivors and ensure that history is remembered with accuracy and humanity.
“I feel it’s really important that we’re educating these children on this really important time in history,” Romy said. “The Holocaust cannot be forgotten, and in order for that to happen, we need to talk and educate so history does not repeat itself. We want to inspire, educate, teach and be role models to these students.”
At a time when Holocaust education faces challenges nationwide, Romy and Harley have shown how student voices can play a critical role in safeguarding memory. Through storytelling and community engagement, they have proven that age is no barrier to leadership, and that the next generation is capable of carrying history forward with integrity and compassion.
“We’re living in a place where antisemitism is at a rise,” Harley said. “It’s better that we’re educating the next generation, so they can grow up and make the world a better place like us.”
The girls stand as powerful examples of what it means to lead with purpose, and why remembering the past remains essential to shaping a more just future. We’re Jewish, we’re proud, and not afraid,” Romy said.
