Jewish Press 2/6/2009

Late in December, my family suddenly informs me that I have to come home. Although I normally welcome holiday travel like a hefty attack of the stomach flu, this time I have no choice. Flying by myself under the circumstances is a very bad idea, so I decide to take my daughter Isabella along. As soon as I share my plans with her, the panic sets in. “What about the Science Fair?” she asks, and I quickly check the calendar. Late February, so I think we’ll be okay. Once she hears there is very little chance we’ll be gone that long, she relaxes.  “Besides,” I say, “you can do your experiments in Holland, can’t you? I’m sure it’ll be very inspiring.”  When I introduce the topic to my family, they are more than game to play their part. My brother knows a great science museum, and my sister immediately starts making plans. In spite of the fact that our list of famous painters is roughly three times as long, there have been some great scientists in the lowlands. From Huygens to Leeghwater to Van Leeuwenhoek, there are plenty of good role models to choose from. Didn’t Descartes live in Leiden for over twenty years? Maybe she can build her own microscope, or a hydraulic dam, or dissect a tulip bulb. Maybe she can build a miniature (working) windmill. With popsicle sticks.

“No,” she says,  “I want to watch green beans rot.”

Fantastic. Why is it that science experiments always involve all things gross and disgusting? I envision a filthy decomposing pile of rubbish on my mother’s kitchen counter, and sigh. “I’m sure grandma will be delighted,” I say, and hope for the best. My mother, when I give her the good news, doesn’t seem fazed. This is probably because she doesn’t remember anything about children and the messes they make. No worries, she will find out soon enough.

Over the next few days, while we anxiously await our departure, my sister prepares several dishes with raw and partially cooked beans. My brother offers us a forgotten piece of bell pepper that he discovered in the back of his fridge. “No, thanks,” I tell him, “we’re only doing beans.”  Soon, photographs of said beans start to arrive on my email, and discussions about my father’s illness are interspersed with comments about mold and questions about whether the outside experiment will be eaten by those famous Amsterdam pigeons. Once we arrive in Holland, we take daily photographs of beans that rot, beans that freeze, beans that get covered in snow, and beans that dry out. Not to be outdone in the nastiness-department, our son busies himself with a few experiments of his own: he throws about eight farm fresh eggs down the stairs at an uncle’s house, then quickly follows this up with a “stick your finger in the bunny cage and see what happens” investigation. That’s okay; this trip, everybody gets a chance to shine. Besides, it’s handy to know that eggs, when thrown down the stairs onto a concrete floor, will break every time, and that bunnies don’t know the difference between a juicy carrot and a finger.

It occurs to me that we were all ready to be a little distracted from the situation we found ourselves in; we just didn’t know how until the Friedel Science Fair threw us a lifeline. 

The Garden of Eden, by Friedel students.

On the evening of June first, more than 200 community members came together at Beth Israel for an Israeli themed dinner, Friedel style. Honorees were retiring Principal Cookie Katskee, Dr. Eric Phillips and his wife, Friedel art teacher Julie Phillips, and board member Donald Gerber. Emcees of the evening were Debbie Denenberg and Lloyd Roitstein.

f.l.t.r.:honoree Cookie Katskee, Rabbi Jonathan Gross, honorees Donald Gerber, Dr. Eric Phillips, Julie Phillips

Board member Bruce Potash, who was the driving force behind organizing the event, said: “The committee, consisting of Jeff and Sherry Taxman, Jeff and Danielle Gordman, Bob and Kim Goldberg, and my wife Linda Potash, did a fantastic job pulling it all together. Also, we are very grateful to the honorary chair, Phyllis Friedel. We were very pleased to see so many friends of Friedel together in one room. We are already thinking about next year, and we are planning to make the Friedel Tribute Celebration an annual event.”

Rabbi Jonathan Gross, who was one of the presenters, introduced honoree Donald Gerber, who has devoted much time and energy towards Friedel. “I believe it is important for a community to have a heart beat,” Gerber said in his speech, “and a healthy, robust day school, supported by this many people, is certainly evidence Omaha has that heart beat.” Rabbi Gross added that, since he made a quip about emptying his pockets during graduation, he had come to the conclusion “$1.36 was not enough to start a trust fund. We’ll need quite a bit more than that, and I hope this dinner will be the first of many. Friedel Jewish Academy is teaching the future of our community, and we can all be very proud of the school for the quality education and wonderful atmosphere they provide.”

                                                 Donald Gerber, Gaston Bogomolni, Jeff Taxman

Retiring Principal Cookie Katskee had the honor of introducing Dr. Eric and Julie Phillips, and the guests were given a first-hand look at what the Friedel students learn in art class. Bob Goldberg coordinated a short film, showing students eloquently explaining what Miss Julie and her art instruction means to them. The children said, “Art is art”, and art can be anything you want it to be. One student explained that even when something goes “wrong” it can be turned into something else, an idea that is very important to Julie Phillips: “It is good for children to see that when things don’t turn out exactly the way you expected, it doesn’t automatically mean you throw it away and start anew. You can keep working with the same materials, but in a different direction. This is a notion that can be used for life, relationships, all sorts of problems we run into; art can be a great metaphor for life in general.”

Board member and Treasurer Jerry Gordman introduced Cookie Katskee, who was celebrated for spending the past five-and-a-half years at the helm, and helping Friedel grow and flourish. Bob Goldberg coordinated a film for Cookie as well, giving the staff and teachers at Friedel a chance to speak out on everything she has done for the school. Cookie was given a standing ovation, as well as a surprise, when several older students showed up carrying in one of Cookie’s most beloved art projects. Several years ago, Friedel students created a painting, “The Garden of Eden”, which Julie Phillips had framed in order to present it to Cookie upon her retirement. “This is such a wonderful gift,” Cookie said, “I’ve always loved this piece so much. I noticed it was missing from the school, and have been wondering all this time what happened to it!”

Nancy Mattly provided guests with an absolutely fabulous menu, which, in honor of Yom Yerushalayim, included many Israeli themed dishes. “The food was great,” guest Tippi Denenberg said. Denenberg attended with her husband Steve, sister-in-law Debbie, as well as Steve and Debbie’s parents Norm and Eunice Denenberg. “It was such a haimische experience, and it was a wonderful opportunity to get pumped for next year.” Tippi and Steve’s son Danny will be starting Kindergarten at Friedel come Fall, as will Debbie’s son Levi and daughter Rebecca, which gave the whole family plenty of reason to support Friedel whole heartedly.

Susan Fellman-Witkowski, who attended with husband Isaac, and is the current President of the school board, was equally impressed: “This was a wonderful warm gathering of around 200 extended “family” members, all coming together to celebrate a few of their own who have worked countless hours to help FJA grow into the successful thriving school that it has become.  The planning committee for this tribute dinner did an outstanding job making the evening memorable and elegant; yet somehow, it felt like having a night out with a few of your closest friends.  We couldn’t have asked for a better event!”

The evening ended on a musical note, as Donald Gerber, Gaston Bogomolni, and Jeffrey Taxman treated the audience to an inspirational and very entertaining concert. Rabbi Gross gave a short speech in honor of Yom Yerushalayim, and many attendees lingered long beyond the official end time of 8:30 to enjoy the music, the great company, and maybe the last few bites of that delectable chocolate dessert.

Friedel Creates Latkemania

On December 20^th, it was once again time for staff and students at Friedel Jewish Academy to get their hands dirty.  The annual latke fry-and-sale was a big success. Parents and teachers started setting things up early in the morning, and at 9 am it was time for the students to jump in and help out. Spread out over several tables, The Kindergartners peeled, and the older students diced and sliced, while the adults made batter and controlled the fryers. The first band-aid was handed out at 9:05 am. This questionable honor went to Kindergartner Lily Goldberg, and she wasn’t the only one. It didn’t dampen anybody’s enthusiasm.

Many visitors came to either help out and fry latkes, or just to enjoy lunch and each other’s company. One of the visitors was Rabbi Yonathan Gross, who said that “it is wonderful to be here helping out, since together we are raising funds for the most important Jewish organization in Nebraska.”  Rabbi Gross is an experienced potato peeler, as he proved last year. This year he found himself packaging applesauce, accompanied by some members of the PTO.  When asked whether he had any experience in the food industry that would qualify him for such an important task, he mentioned that he had once worked as an industrial chef at a summer camp in the Catskills.  “ If you ever need me to cook for 700 people, I’m there”, he said.

Also helping out was Rabbi Seth Nadel, who went from table to table to chat with the students individually. “It is great to be here at the school”, Rabbi Nadel said, “Friedel and the Jewish Community in general have been very welcoming to my wife Na’ama and me. “ Rabbi Nadel has some culinary talents of his own, and told us that, had he not chosen to be a Rabbi, he could have been the next “Pickle King of New Jersey”, since his father is in the pickle industry.  Lucky for us, Rabbi Nadel was at Friedel cutting potatoes instead.

The success of Latke-day depends heavily on parents’ involvement.  Many fathers and mothers come and spend part of their day working with their children, and this shows the students exactly what working together can accomplish. One such parent is Sarah Teetzel, whose son Nathaniel and daughter Naomi both attend Friedel. “Any community involvement is good for the children”, Sarah said, “because it teaches them to focus on the needs of others, rather than themselves.  Helping out their school is also a great practice for them. It sets the standard by which they will hopefully live when they are adults.” Sarah also mentioned that this is a day for parents to get more involved, not only with the school, but with each other. “New relationships within the community are formed, and old ones are strengthened.” 

Students decorated the boxes that were used for take-out. Gabby Witkowski, who is a kindergartner, helped her mother Susan pack up the orders, and looked very proud of her contribution while making some nice memories with her mom.

Another enthusiastic parent is Dr. Michael Cohen. His face lights up when asked how he feels about Friedel. His daughter Lillian started Kindergarten in the Fall, and her progress, according to her father has “exceeded expectations. She has grown and blossomed so much, and we feel very blessed to be part of the Friedel Community”.

Everyone who helped out also learned that, in order to get something done, you sometimes have to get a little smelly.  Hopefully we’ll get the perfume-du-Latke out of our hair and clothes before 2007.  

Friedel Students Compete in District Speech

By Annette van de Kamp-Wright

On May 5, Friedel students Eva Phillips, daughter of Dr. Eric and Julie Phillips, and Elissa Wiener, daughter of Richard and Audrey Wiener, had the honor of representing their school at the annual district speech competition. Denise Bennett, who teaches fifth and sixth grade, prepared her students well for the event, which was held at Aldrich Elementary.  “Students from Aldrich, Wegner Middle School, St. Vincent DePaul, and Friedel competed,” Bennett said.  “The topic was “An American Landmark”.  Elissa spoke about The Empire State Building, and Eva Phillips spoke about Chimney Rock.  They were both excellent representatives of Friedel; they’re very gifted public speakers!”

Elissa, who attends fifth grade at Friedel, will go on to the state competition.  There will be students from the Omaha area as well as from Columbus and Madison, Nebraska.

The winner of this state competition will have his/her speech videotaped and sent to the national competition. “Friedel has had one state winner in the past – Jacob Katzman,” Bennett remembered, “I wish I remembered the exact year, but it was before 1995.  We were still located in the old building!”  Principal Cookie Katskee is looking forward to the next round: “Our students do a fantastic job with their speeches, and they are getting better every year. It’s very inspiring to watch them develop their skills in front of an audience.” The State competition will be held on May 19 at Brownell-Talbot.

An Inspiring Evening at Friedel

By Annette van de Kamp-Wright

On Thursday April 12, Friedel Jewish Academy played host to the District IV speech contest, sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America. It was a first for Friedel; elementary- and middle school students from 7 different schools participated in the event.  General Studies teacher Denise Bennett acted as the MC, introduced the judges, and made sure everything ran smoothly.

“Denise deserves all the credit”, according to Principal Cookie Katskee.  “She made sure we were well equipped to host this contest, and worked tirelessly with our own students here at Friedel.”  The students learned some very useful skills in the process, such as researching their topic, thinking clearly, and presenting their findings in public.  The hard work on the part of Ms. Bennett and the students was evident in their speeches; 5th graders Michael Popkov and Eva Phillips represented Friedel very well.  The topic for the speeches was “Great American Leaders”. Michael wrote and delivered an inspiring speech about Magic Johnson, because “He was a leader in sports, and he is a leader in life.”  He addressed both Johnson’s career in Basketball and his remarkable journey after he was diagnosed with HIV. Michael is the son of Yuliya Popkov.

Eva Phillips wowed the crowd with her speech about Suffragette and Abolitionist Susan B. Anthony.  According to Eva, Anthony inspired her “when she worked to give women the right to vote, and the right to dream”.  Eva, who is the daughter of Eric and Julie Phillips, said she wanted to find a woman to research, and received help from her grandmother.  Eva’s mother, who is also Friedel’s art teacher, was impressed because: “It gave my daughter the chance to take a multi-generational approach, which is a great fringe benefit when learning new skills.”

All in all, 14 different students participated in the contest. One of the judges, UNO student Ellie Schunk, explained that these speech tournaments present the students with priceless opportunities: “I love hearing them speak. It is often the first chance for them to get comfortable in front of a crowd, and seeing the passion in young people is a wonderful experience.”  A sentiment surely shared by all listeners, and the students themselves, as they showed this passion in spades.

Both Eva and Michael did their school proud, and it will be interesting to see how they develop their skills in the future.  Perhaps, some day, Michael will be addressing the crowds on a daily basis, and his scary first speech will only be a faint memory. When Eva runs for President in 2037, she can tell the reporters that she got her feet wet at Friedel Jewish Academy.

Summer’s On at Friedel

By Annette van de Kamp-Wright

It is oftentimes the most hectic schedule that provides the most fun; something that was proven once again by Friedel Jewish Academy. During the last week school was in session, students watched the sixth grade graduate, while putting on a show at the JCC auditorium.  Guests were given a warm welcome by Jewish Federation President Norm Sheldon, as well as Bonnie Bloch and Lloyd Roitstein of the Friedel Board of Directors.  Principal Cookie Katskee took some extra time to thank the Friedel PTO members Nancy Kutler, Julie Potash, Linda Potash and Julie Stein.  They have worked tirelessly this past school year to raise money and show appreciation to the teachers for all their hard work.

            After several musical numbers by the students, Friedel Librarian Joyce Stranglen was called to the stage.  Teacher Barb Sather informed the audience that Joyce’s son suffered a house fire that left the family unhurt, but destroyed all belongings. In the spirit of Tikkun Olam, and with a little help from their teachers, Friedel students created a quilt for the family.  Barb said: “They lost their home, but not their family. We wanted to wrap them in love. The children made all the squares, our secretary Mary Jane Tweedy embroidered the centerpiece, and Artist-in-residence Janie York help us put it together. The theme of the quilt is ‘home is where the heart is’ because what is important, i.e., their family, is still there.” Barb Sather presented the quilt to Joyce to pass on to her son’s family.

            Rabbi Jonathan Gross introduced the main part of the evening by paying tribute to Friedel’s graduates. Tal Margalit, Cleo Rogers and Samantha Wiener walked the stage and received their certificates, as well as a sung message from their teachers. It is tradition at Friedel for the teachers to sing a personalized song to the graduating class.

Cookie Katskee sent the sixth graders on their way by quoting Henry Winkler: “ There is greatness within each of you. Use your greatness to change the world”.  Katskee also acknowledged the Friedel staff when she said: “ If you want to be great, you have to be taught by greatness.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I offer you the greatest”! The evening was concluded by a video presentation offering high lights from the past school year, and refreshments for all the guests.

            Besides being treated to song and dance, visitors also enjoyed an art display featuring Friedel students’ work.  Art Teacher Julie Philips and her students had some special help this year from Artist-in-residence Janie Lynn York, She has visited the school several times over the past year to teach the students new skills that include drawing, story telling, and machine quilting. York has worked individually with students, as each of them created artwork that expressed their plans for improving the world.  The students designed their own storyboard that was transferred onto fabric and subsequently quilted in the shape of a tree. York assisted the students with each step, as they learned how to create their own stories and use the machine quilter. York explained, “in the case of this project, the students discussed Tu B’Shevat and certain scriptures surrounding the project. Creating trees and writing stories gave them a more personal understanding of Judaism.”

Art teacher Julie Phillips explained how art helps her students form their Jewish identity: “Everything they do can be done through a Jewish lens. They study Jewish artists, and it gives them a sense of pride because they can identify themselves with them.  It is very good for their self-esteem.  However, you don’t have to study a Jewish artist in order to see art in a Jewish perspective. The students were inspired by Henry Moore and Christo, among others, to create their own Garden of Eden for the art show. They continually express their creativity in a Jewish manner.” Janie’s residency was sponsored by the Nebraska Arts Council and by Friend of Friedel Dr. Eric Phillips, and organized by Principal Cookie Katskee and Julie Phillips.

After a two-day break for Shavuot, Friedel students enjoyed their last day of school on Friday May 25^th.  When they return for more at the end of August, a brand new class of Kindergartners will appear, illustrating that with every end comes a new beginning.

Sukkoth

By Annette van de Kamp-Wright

There are few things more attractive to children than going outside and getting dirty.  Add a picnic lunch and some fun games, and you have a winner.  That is exactly what Friedel offered some very enthusiastic students and parents on Sunday, September 30^th. Parents Naava Naslavski and Ruti Margalit organized the outing to DeSoto National Park, in order to celebrate Sukkoth.

Our day had started relatively organized: we set the alarm and the whole family got up on time since there was much to do.  Religious school, meetings, some other stuff, and finally the Friedel outing all packed neatly together on our calendar, so we had to be a bit streamlined with our morning routine.  Alas, nothing ever goes as planned. When I came downstairs, I nearly stepped on a dead mouse our cat had deposited by the back door.  Our formerly lazy and overweight kitty has just this summer released her inner tiger, and surprises like this are not unusual. I therefore did not scream in panic, but calmly told my husband he had ‘something to clean up’.  My daughter ran to the back door, exclaiming how disgusting it was. Just to make sure it really was a very dead mouse, she stared at it for five minutes or so. I told her about ‘the cruelty of nature’ and that it was normal for cats to act like this.  Perhaps not the best lesson to start a day that’s supposed to end with outdoors fun? 

It didn’t stop her from being excited about the outing to DeSoto, though.  Sukkoth, after all, is often a lesson in inconvenience.  It’s easy to stay in the classroom and keep the kids indoors.  It’s a hassle to build a Sukkah, to plan an outing, to drive an hour to get outside of the city. You are subject to the weather, your plate with the hotdog still on it blows away, and the kids get dirty.  And when you go outside, you run the risk of stepping on a rotten apple or getting stung by an angry bee.

            However, it is when things get a little inconvenient that we gain the most for our children.  There are things they learn from getting out of the classroom they just can’t get anywhere else.  They learn to enjoy the awesomeness of nature; they make unlimited discoveries and get to be part of a bigger whole.  There are some very specific reasons why, during Sukkoth, G-d tells us to get outside and open our eyes to the world he has created.  Finally, our kids learn that it is okay for parents to get off the beaten path in order to teach their kids something. 

Tu B’Shevat

By Annette van de Kamp-Wright

The theme for Friedel’s 2007 celebration of Tu B’Shevat is “Make the World a Better Place”.  Art Teacher Julie Philips and her students have some special help this year in getting ready for and learning about this holiday. Artist-in-residence Janie Lynn York has visited the school several times over the past month to teach the students new skills that include drawing, story telling, and machine quilting.

            York is a quilter and textile artist who works from her home studio. She began her quilting by using traditional patterns and settings, but eventually shifted her focus towards using her art to help others. Janie has a degree in Family Science from the University of Omaha with a minor in Art History. “Art is an integral part of any students’ education”, York said. “Through art, students learn how to plan and follow through on that plan. They also learn that sometimes the smallest step can make a difference in the outcome of a project.”

At Friedel, York has worked individually with students, as each of them created artwork that expressed their plans for improving the world.  The students designed their own story board that was transferred onto fabric and subsequently quilted in the shape of a tree. York assisted the students with each step, as they learned how to create their own stories and use the machine quilter. York explained that “in the case of this project, the students discussed Tu B’Shevat and certain scriptures surrounding the project. Creating trees and writing stories gave them a more personal understanding of Judaism.”

            The kindergartners were very enthusiastic about the whole process. Ilana Mc Namara wrote about sharing: “It is nice to share clothes. I gave a dress to my sister. She was so happy”.  Isabella Wright said” I had fun. And nobody got their fingers stuck in the machine. We were all very careful”. Gabby Witkowski stayed within the theme as she described how she makes the world a better place: “I like to plant trees. Trees are special because they give us food and shade from the sun. G-d waters the tree when he cries.” Another student who connected with nature was Ethan (>>>>) who wrote: “My backyard isn’t very pretty. I talked to my dad about it. We decided to plant flowers”.   “My favorite part of working with Kindergartners is their honesty and lack of fear.” York said. “They are willing to try anything.”  The older kids, according to York, often bring a more mature attitude to the table: “They better understand the long term effects of their actions on family, community, and the earth.”  When asked what she would like her students to take away from this experience, York said “I want each child to leave with a sense that he or she has the power to make the world a better place. Even very small acts can make a difference.”

All trees are proudly displayed at Friedel for everyone to enjoy. Janie will be back in March for another session with the students. Until then, her work can be viewed at www.janielynntextiles.com.  Janie’s residency was sponsored by the Nebraska Arts Council and by Friend of Friedel Dr. Eric Phillips, and organized by Principal Cookie Katskee and Art teacher Julie Phillips.

Always Time to Remember at Friedel

By Annette van de Kamp-Wright

Talking, or writing, about the Holocaust is never easy. Teaching our children about it is even more difficult. Yet it is a topic that must come up when we plan our children’s Jewish upbringing. Certain challenges present themselves when teaching about the Shoah to Jewish American youth: there are no geographical landmarks to serve as reminders; one cannot drive around Omaha and tie memory to place.  The nation as a whole does not commemorate Yom Ha’Shoah; there are no special events on television and the country does not –as Israel and some other countries do- maintain several minutes of silence to honor those that lost their lives.  As a result, forgetting and foregoing can be all too easy.

Luckily, there are teachers like Na’ama Artzi, who teaches Hebrew at Friedel Jewish Academy. Together with ADL’s Beth Dotan, she has developed an age appropriate curriculum for students from Kindergarten to Sixth grade.

“We teach the children about the Holocaust year round,” Artzi explains, “and by the time we arrive at Yom Ha’Shoah, they have a good understanding about concepts like freedom and tolerance. They understand there are many different people in the world, and that tolerance for these differences is an important step towards peace in the world.  They also understand that remembering the Shoah is a constant, it isn’t confined to one particular day.  We teach them about Resistance to anti-Semitism during Chanukah, and the younger children become familiar with figures such as Janusz Korzcak”.  Artzi also adds that “we don’t introduce the horror of the Holocaust to our Kindergartners; rather, we emphasize the resilience of our people. There is a delicate balance between educating young children, and scaring them. By the time our students reach 4th through 6^th grade, we talk about morals and about survival.  Through testimonials of those that have experienced the Holocaust first-hand, they learn about young children just like them. They learn that children can be very strong, and that even in the face of adversity, children will always remain children”. 

Beth Seldin Dotan, Director of the Center for Holocaust Education, has proved a helpful resource for all teachers at Friedel.  During the summer months, she and Artzi plan many Holocaust related lessons for the following school year.  “Friedel students are well prepared for this type of education”, Dotan says. “Holocaust education is introduced fairly early in most Jewish schools. We begin by asking how prejudice develops, and how we should act if we are faced with it. Through personal histories and exhibits, the children become more and more familiar with our past”.

According to Artzi, the actual Shoah commemoration is fairly similar to what is experienced by children in Israel: “We try to be like Israel. At 10 a.m., we hold two minutes of silence. We have a ceremony in the Synagogue, and students light 6 candles. Parents of our students are encouraged to come and join the children during the service.”

The ceremony will take place April 16, at 9:45 am at the Riekes Shul.

Because of her environment, native Israeli Na’ama Artzi feels very much at home at Friedel.  “The General Studies teachers are every bit as involved as the Hebrew teachers when it comes to Holocaust Education. Everyone is aware and supportive of the requirement to pay attention to the Shoah. They all have big hearts, they all are involved, and that experience helps me feel as if I am home”.

Jewish History in general, and the Shoah in particular, are not solely in the past; by teaching our children about every aspect of Judaism, we can ensure that future generations will feel a personal connection to the Holocaust.  They will comprehend the urgency of speaking for those who can no longer speak for themselves.

Dr. Kader Shares Holocaust Memories with Friedel Students

By Annette van de Kamp-Wright

Note: This article was previously published in the Jewish Press on May 16, 2008

On Friday May 2^nd, Friedel students, staff and parents attended a Holocaust memorial service in the Riekes Shul, after which the third through sixth graders visited with Dr. Fred Kader. He spoke at length about his experiences as a hidden child during WW II.

Dr. Kader was born in Belgium in 1938, and just four years later found himself at the Antwerp station. Together with his mother, he waited to board the train to Auschwitz, when she suddenly told him to walk out of the station. With his blond hair and blue eyes, she thought he might have a chance, as long as he didn’t get on that train. He did what she told him, and was rescued by a Catholic nun; he never saw his mother again.

            “Survivors will not be around for much longer,” Dr. Kader told his audience, “so it is very important to remember stories like mine for the next generation. Survivors don’t need to remember; we were there. The next generation needs to remember not to forget.”
Dr. Kader explained to his listeners what it was like to exist in an orphanage during the war years in Belgium. He and many other children would miss that train two more times, thanks to the intervention of righteous gentiles. When the war came to an end, his uncle came and found him. He was eventually adopted by an aunt in Montreal, far away from the streets he wandered alone as a four-year-old.

“Dr. Fred Kader communicated his story with a quiet dignity, warmth and a desire to maintain history,” principal Cookie Katskee said. “Because he was an obedient child and because righteous Gentiles cared enough to risk their lives, his life was spared. His grace makes him someone worthy of imitation”.

“Remembering the Holocaust is a fight against indifference,” Dr. Kader told the students. “Very few people in Belgium cared enough to help, and the few that did were murdered by the Nazis.” Dr. Kader went on to say that 90% of formerly hidden children went on to work in the medical field, social services, and education; the remainder became artists. “There is a strong urge among all of us to help others,” he said. Dr. Kader himself is a neurologist.

Beth Seldin Dotan, Director of the Center for Holocaust Education, was impressed with Dr. Kader’s words: “He was so real.  He showed his emotion, and shared his deep gratitude for the sacrifice his mother made to let her son go when she knew she would meet her death.  He spoke about the incredible courage she must have faced and how there were good individuals amidst the horror who helped save a little boy.  Dr. Kader truly brought home the message that each person must be good and kind to those around him, and show the courage to stand up for what is right.  His soft, gentle manner

had the students mesmerized – they drank in every word of his testimony and his message.  I was very touched, as always, by the Friedel students’ tenderness when asking their poignant questions”.

Dr. Kader left the students with the message to “become good citizens of the world, be kind to others, and stand up for what you believe in. Part of remembering is not ignoring the bad things when they happen.”