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News & Photos
Holocaust Survivor’s Message to Students: Help Others
Eighth graders assembled in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre on Tuesday, February 21 to hear Holocaust survivor Tamar Hendel, grandmother of Hannah F. ‘15 and Yakov F. ‘17, tell her story. As part of the students’ unit on the Holocaust, Tamar shared with students and faculty her experiences during World War II, in which 6 million Jews perished.
Born in 1935 in Zagreb (now Croatia), Tamar and her
family fled her homeland when she was 7 years old to hide in
Northern Italy. As World War II raged around them, Tamar
says her family was relatively free in Italy; “There was
little food, but we never went hungry and there were seven
of us living in a very small apartment.” For two years the
Italians let them live in peace, but the Jewish children
were not allowed to attend school. Therefore, Tamar’s mother
taught her daughter to draw, sew, and embroider. Through
drawing, Tamar fed her imagination and began an appreciation
for art.
In 1943, when Italy joined the Allies, German invaded
Italy and the Jewish people in town were being interned.
“The Italian soldiers were very caring people, who provided
us with false documents and looked the other way when my
family boarded the train to relocate in Rome, where we would
be safer,” says Tamar.
In Rome, one of the underground Jewish agencies found an
apartment for Tamar’s family. There were people all over
Italy hiding and taking in Jews to protect them. “During the
day, we would spend the afternoons at the Vatican because
there was a lot of bombing, and the United States would
never bomb this sacred area. But when the Americans finally
came, they brought chocolate bars,” shares Tamar.
In late 1943, Tamar’s family was permitted to temporarily
enter the United States with 1,000 immigrants until the end
of the war. On August 4, 1944, Tamar’s family reached New
York City. “It was very exciting to see the Statue of
Liberty. It is very meaningful to people and was a symbol of
safety for us.” Her family was brought to Ft. Ontario in
upstate New York where they lived for the next year and
half. The were given new clothes, shoes, food, and Tamar was
able to go to school, where she fell in love with reading.
In 1946, her family was notified that they could remain in
the United States.
Tamar expressed to the audience how important it is to
give to others, “I have been able to give back in ways to
help others. You should realize that there are good people
around you and that you have the power to care.” She is
extremely grateful for the Italian community who protected
her family.
Now a U.S. resident living in Maryland, Tamar is the
executive director of Create Art Center in Silver Spring.
Tamar has led art workshops at World Federation of Jewish
Child Survivors of the Holocaust. Following her
presentation, Tamar answered questions and shared poetry and
artwork from Holocaust survivors.
Eighth graders assembled in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre on Tuesday, February 21 to hear Holocaust survivor Tamar Hendel, grandmother of Hannah F. ‘15 and Yakov F. ‘17, tell her story. As part of the students’ unit on the Holocaust, Tamar shared with students and faculty her experiences during World War II, in which 6 million Jews perished.
Born in 1935 in Zagreb (now Croatia), Tamar and her family fled her homeland when she was 7 years old to hide in Northern Italy. As World War II raged around them, Tamar says her family was relatively free in Italy; “There was little food, but we never went hungry and there were seven of us living in a very small apartment.” For two years the Italians let them live in peace, but the Jewish children were not allowed to attend school. Therefore, Tamar’s mother taught her daughter to draw, sew, and embroider. Through drawing, Tamar fed her imagination and began an appreciation for art.
In 1943, when Italy joined the Allies, German invaded Italy and the Jewish people in town were being interned. “The Italian soldiers were very caring people, who provided us with false documents and looked the other way when my family boarded the train to relocate in Rome, where we would be safer,” says Tamar.
In Rome, one of the underground Jewish agencies found an apartment for Tamar’s family. There were people all over Italy hiding and taking in Jews to protect them. “During the day, we would spend the afternoons at the Vatican because there was a lot of bombing, and the United States would never bomb this sacred area. But when the Americans finally came, they brought chocolate bars,” shares Tamar.
In late 1943, Tamar’s family was permitted to temporarily enter the United States with 1,000 immigrants until the end of the war. On August 4, 1944, Tamar’s family reached New York City. “It was very exciting to see the Statue of Liberty. It is very meaningful to people and was a symbol of safety for us.” Her family was brought to Ft. Ontario in upstate New York where they lived for the next year and half. The were given new clothes, shoes, food, and Tamar was able to go to school, where she fell in love with reading. In 1946, her family was notified that they could remain in the United States.
Tamar expressed to the audience how important it is to give to others, “I have been able to give back in ways to help others. You should realize that there are good people around you and that you have the power to care.” She is extremely grateful for the Italian community who protected her family.
Now a U.S. resident living in Maryland, Tamar is the executive director of Create Art Center in Silver Spring. Tamar has led art workshops at World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust. Following her presentation, Tamar answered questions and shared poetry and artwork from Holocaust survivors.