Olga Stern

 

Olga Stern was born in Polana, Czechoslovakia in 1929. When the town was annexed by Hungary, Olga's father lost his job, and the family lost their home. After her father's death in 1942, her mother moved to Budapest to find work and later sent for the children. Following the German occupation in 1944, Olga and her mother lived in an apartment building under Swedish protection through the efforts of Raoul Wallenberg. The city was liberated by the Russians in January 1945.

Olga and her sister returned to Czechoslovakia and later were able to come to the United States to study. She remained in New York, married another Hungarian survivor and had two daughters. She tells the remarkable story of her husband Stanley's Holocaust experiences in her interview. After Stanley was deported from Budapest to Buchenwald, he found one part of a tefillin in a bonfire. Then a gypsy came through the barracks offering to sell the second part. Stanley exchanged it for a sweater. Now he had a complete tefillin. He and all the other men in his barracks lined up to take their turn putting on the tefillin to say their morning prayers. 

 

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The Inner Dimensions of Islam

Alumni Room, O'Malley Library

Mohamad Jebara is an author, athlete, gourmet chef, poet, Visual artist, and Islamic scholar who has devoted his life to fostering cultural understanding and awareness by leveraging ancient wisdom for self-improvement. Jebara is the author of "The Life of the Quran" and "Mohammad the World-Changer".

Mohamad Jebara's writings seek to empower readers to unlock their dormant potential and improve their quality of life. As a sought-after speaker, Mohamad has delivered talks and workshops in numerous countries, inspiring audiences with his unique blend of ancient wisdom, modern techniques and relatability. Mohamad is known for his ability to connect with people from all walks of life, and his talks are engaging, thought- provoking and uplifting.

Mar21

As the sun sets, marking the end of the daily fast during Ramadan, and the culmination of the Fast of Esther in the Jewish tradition, we invite you to break bread with members of different faith communities in a spirit of unity, understanding, and friendship. This unique event aims to foster a sense of togetherness, promote dialogue, and celebrate the rich tapestry of religious traditions that contribute to the mosaic of our community. A vegetarian, Kosher and Halal dinner will be served.

Please register here for Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMldu-hpzsoHdRk-Nq3UNqkiEAMqrCeVj_O

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMldu-hpzsoHdRk-Nq3UNqkiEAMqrCeVj_O

Wolf Gruner, Ph.D., discusses the subject of his book Resisters: How Ordinary Jews Fought Persecution in Hitler's Germany (Yale University Press, 2023), which features the life stories of five Jewish men and women who resisted in different ways against persecution in Nazi Germany. By discussing their courageous acts, the book demonstrates the wide range of Jewish resistance in Nazi Germany, challenges the myth of Jewish passivity and illuminates individual Jewish agency during the Holocaust.

Wolf Gruner, Ph.D., holds the Shapell-Guerin Chair in Jewish Studies and is a professor of history at the University of Southern California and founding director of the USC Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide Research. He received his Ph.D. in History from the Technical University Berlin and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University, Yad Vashem Jerusalem, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Women's Christian University Tokyo, among others. Gruner is the author of o books on the Holocaust, including Jewish Forced Labor under the Nazis: Economic Needs and Nazi Racial Aims. His 2016 prizewinning German book was published in English as The Holocaust in Bohemia and Moravia: Czech Initiatives, German Policies, Jewish Responses. He co-edited four books, including Resisting Persecution: Jews and Their Petitions during the Holocaust and New Perspectives on Kristallnacht: After 80 Years, the Nazi Pogrom in Global Comparison. He is an appointed member of the Academic Committee of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the International Advisory Board of the Journal of Genocide Research, among others.

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