UJA’s WITNESS PROJECT
FILM SCREENING at NST: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2021
BY SUSAN BARTELSTONE
In early 2020, a shocking survey
was done by the Conference
on Jewish Material Claims
Against Germany quantifying the
Holocaust knowledge of the United
States’ Millennials and Generation
Z’s. Below are some of the disturbing
NYS Statistics:
• More than 6-in-10 participants
in New York didn’t know that 6
million Jews were murdered in
the Holocaust.
• Nearly 20% felt that Jews caused
the Holocaust.
• NYS’s Millennials and Gen Z’s
scored near the bottom of ALL
states surveyed in their Holocaust
knowledge.
This is unconscionable at a time
of spreading Holocaust denial,
ever-increasing antisemitism and
the number of (aging) survivors
around to bear witness dwindling.
UJA’s Witness Project—so we
never forget!
Partnering with Sid Jacobson JCC
in Roslyn, for four years now, UJA
has been supporting the amazing
Witness Project, which introduces
Holocaust survivors to high
school students to create the next
generation of witnesses. During
a year-long collaborative process,
the students bond with survivors in
heartfelt ways, producing artwork
and theatrical productions dramatizing
their stories.
THE NST CONNECTION
In 2021, a highly-touted documentary
featuring the stories of five
survivors (produced and directed
by the award-winning Israeli
documentarian Yeeshai Gross)
was made of the performances. One
of the survivors featured is Celia
Kener, a resident at NST for more
than 10 years. And she wants her
NST neighbors to be sure to see
the documentary because since its
completion, 2 of the 5 survivors
featured in the film have since
passed away. A poignant reminder
underscoring of the urgent need
for the Witness Project, because at
least their stories will live on! “We
must take care of our own, Celia
said, and I can’t say enough about
the work UJA is doing.”
And another NST connection,
resident Roberta Rosenblatt’s
granddaughter (Leah Schachter),
is acting in the film and is part of
Witness Project too.
Join Us! Please join UJA for
the Witness Project 2021 Film
screening on Sunday, September
19, 2021 from 7:00-8:00PM in
the NST Cinema and become
a witness too. Afterwards, there
will be a Q&A featuring Celia
and Witness Project Film student
Talia Bidner, who portrays young
Celia in the film.
The screening is FREE but
space is limited. Please respond
no later than September 10 by
calling Sherri Candel at 516-
762-5896 or email candels@
ujafedny.org.
This event will be held in
accordance with all applicable
law and regulations, including
state, local and CDC guidelines,
to protect the health of our staff
and guests. Attendance is restricted
to individuals who have completed
the Covid-19 vaccination
series at least 14 days prior to
the date of the event; and proof
of vaccination will be required
for admittance. Individuals may
provide proof via paper form,
the NYS Excelsior Pass, or other
mobile app. It is also requested
that all attendees wear a mask.
UJA’s DOLLARS AT WORK
BY SUSAN BARTELSTONE
UJA has functioned as the world’s
largest local philanthropy for more
than 100 years, partnering with
more than 100 non-profit agencies
in the NY area alone to help those,
of all faiths, races, and ethnicities,
who are in need (as well as across
the US, Israel and globally). UJA
also considers it a particularly
sacred responsibility to help aging
Holocaust survivors as their needs
increase and in their final days.
During the Pandemic, UJA
remained a (global) lifeline for isolated,
vulnerable people facing a range
of challenges (pandemic-related or
not). Their partner organizations in
the NYC-LI area provided a multitude
of services including kosher
and non-kosher food deliveries for
those in lockdown or too infirm to
shop, rent assistance, mental health
counseling, end-of-life care and
bereavement services.
UJA also provided thousands of
masks and PPE equipment to overwhelmed
hospitals and coordinated
eight pop-up vaccination sites. And,
when things returned to (somewhat)
normal, their non-profit partners
were able to again offer badly-needed
educational resources, sports and
social activities for people of all ages
and special needs.
UJA’S IMPACT:
• 1.7 million meals are provided to
older adults in New York on an
ongoing basis.
• 117,000 local seniors find social,
recreational, and wellness
programs.
• 84,000 seniors and Holocaust
survivors in the former Soviet
Union receive essential services.
• 47,000 older adults in New York
receive home care services.
• 23,000 local seniors received
transportation accessibility
assistance.
• Nearly 28,000 Holocaust survivors
in NY and Israel received
emergency cash assistance, counseling
and help accessing benefits
and vital services.
NORTH SHORE TOWERS + UJA: A
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
Our neighbor the Sam Field Center
(part of CommonPoint-Queens), for
example, offers a variety of social,
recreational and educational programs
for people of all ages and
free buses provide rides to and from
North Shore Towers.
Its Senior Center division provides
many needed services (particularly
for those with physical limitations),
one of which is helping people who
can no longer drive or sign up for
Access-a-Ride and find other transportation
and homecare assistance.
Contact Elise Lev at 718-225-6750
ext. 236 to get more information.
For 42 years now, North Shore
Towers has had a special relationship
with UJA, raising hundreds of thousands
of dollars to support it. Eneas
Arkawy, Chairperson of the North
Shore Towers-UJA Fundraising
Committee, commented, “UJA’s
purpose has never been clearer and
the need has never been greater. We
must do everything we can to ensure
that UJA’s vital work continues.”
UJA is on the front lines of
the Covid recovery effort and
desperately needs your support
now. Any size contribution is
welcome. Donations can be
made via the UJA-Federation
of NY website (www.ujafedny.
org/donate), or contact Sherri
Candel (516-762-5896) or email
her at: candels@ujafedny.org).
Checks made out to UJA
Federation of NY can be left
at the Concierge Desk for
Reva Eneas Arkawy (Bldg 1),,
Fran Fiegenbaum (Bldg 2) or
Mandelbaum (Bldg 3).
NST Resident Celia Kener during
filming of Witness Project
16 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ September 2021
/ujafedny.org
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