Stockton Sara & Sam Holocaust Resource Center student study trip to the Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC- (L-R front) Fran Baronowitz, Betty Grebenschikoff, Laura Oberlender, Ernest Paul, Gail Rosenthal, Frank Blough, Kaitlin Reeves. Back: Elliott Beinfest, Leo Schoffer, Izzy May, Marcia Fiedler, Melissa Schoffer, Eric Fiedler, Maurice Lesser, Rosemarie Lesser. Around 40 Richard Stockton students and Sam & Sara Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center staff, members and local Holocaust survivors were at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC recently for a private tour of the Hannah Senesh Fire in My Heart exhibit and a Holocaust book launch. The trip was organized by HRC director Gail Rosenthal and sponsored by Leo Schoffer.

The group was treated to a reception and presentation of the book, With Courage Shall We Fight, the story of Murray and Francis Berger, two partisan fighters who were with the Bielski Brothers Brigade, recently portrayed in the Hollywood movie Defiance. According to her memoir, Francis was the first woman in the brigade to be issued a rifle. Also in attendance were two surviving members of the brigade.

Former Margate resident Buddy Casel, trip sponsor Leo Schoffer and ComteQ Publisher Rob Huberman at book signing event with the son of partisan fighters and “With Courage Shall We Fight” editor Ralph Berger. “Were losing our survivors and it’s important for the Second Generation to pick up the mantle from their parents and continue the lessons of the Holocaust to the children,” said Leo. “That’s what Ralph did for his parents in producing their memoirs.” The Bergers both passed away several years ago.

“It’s one thing to read a Holocaust memoir,” Leo added, “but the goal for the Stockton students on this trip was to give them insight beyond what they read on the pages, and into the effort of preserving survivor stories. The book launch provided them with a very special perspective into the whole process.”

The museum’s Hannah Senesh exhibit is the firstever for her and details how this Budapest-born diarist and author of the hymn Eli, Eli and poem Blessed is the Match became one of Israel’s most important heroes as an enduring symbol of courage and determination.

After moving to a kibbutz in Palestine, 23-year-old Hannah later volunteered for training by the British army as a parachutist during WWII in order to rescue downed Allied fliers and Jews from Nazioccupied Hungary. She was arrested at the Hungarian border, imprisoned and tortured, but she refused to reveal details of her mission and was eventually tried by Hungary for treason and executed by firing squad.

Hannah kept diary entries until her last day, November 7, 1944. After the Cold War, a Hungarian military court officially exonerated her.

“It was a wonderful study tour for the Stockton students and I know they enjoyed it as well,” added Leo.

With Courage Shall We Fight was published by Rob Huberman’s ComteQ Publishing in Margate and is available at www.ComteQpublishing.com.