STATEN ISLAND, NY — Hundreds of Staten Island middle school students recently immersed themselves in the history of the Holocaust and were also instructed on ways to find empathy, courage and engage in dialogue in a time of anti-Semitism growing.

More than 500 Staten Island middle school students and their teachers were invited to visit Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan for the ninth annual Egon J. Salmon and Family Commemoration of Kristallnacht and St. Louis. The trip was organized by the Wagner College Holocaust Center, led by Lori Weintrob, in partnership with Salmon, and the New York Department of Education (com).

Students from three schools – Egbert Intermediate School (IS 2), Rocco Laurie Police Officer Intermediate School (IS 72) and Paulo Intermediate School (IS 75) – visited the museum over three days during the week.

The students were divided into groups to listen to a seminar and visit the museum’s two exhibits – “The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do” and “The Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark”.

During the seminar, students listened to Jon Salmon tell the story of his family, including his father Egon Salmon, a Holocaust survivor who fled Nazi Germany and landed on Staten Island with his parents.

Egon Salmon was only 9 years old when Adolph Hilter came to power, and five years later, his father was arrested because of his Jewish faith. He left Germany with his mother and brother, finding safety in the United States. The family eventually reunited, making their home on Staten Island.

“They arrived on a ship called St. Louis. They were refugees and they wanted to be refugees, they had to get out. But few nations, including the United States, were willing to accept them… It took two years from that time until my family, my father, my aunt, my grandmother, finally arrived in the United States,” he recalled Jon Salmon.

The students were able to see the chest that Salmon’s family used on their journey as refugees, which is on display in one of the museum’s exhibits.

“How do we address the rising tide of hate? How do you address the rising tide?” Jon Salmon asked the students. “One way is to increase education and interfaith efforts. And never forget. We are delighted to welcome everyone of all faiths and backgrounds… it is up to you, your generation, the next generation to learn from the mistakes of the past. Build bridges, don’t make enemies, make friends. We hope that this will be the result of today’s visit and that you will never forget what you see here.”

Salmon’s story was followed by a brief history of the Holocaust by Weintrob detailing the horrors of the time and the large number of immigrants who sought refuge in other countries, including the United States. Weintrob shared why the lessons of the Holocaust remain relevant today, connecting young refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers from 1939 to today.

There were also remarks from Wagner College President Jeffrey Doggett and Staten Island’s 31st Ward, Louis Bruschi.

“We run our own Wagner College Holocaust Center because we think the messages of empathy and understanding are so crucial, but also of appreciation that when there is injustice, we have to stand up and say something,” Doggett said.

He asked the students to take a moment to think about what it must have been like for Egon Salmon to experience the Holocaust and what it must have been like to “live in such a peaceful world while it was happening” .

“When you see things in the school yard or when you see things on the news, what does it make you feel? And what are you going to do about it? Because you are the next generation. My generation is here to teach you, but your generation has to stand up and take responsibility, learn from it, and that’s why I’m so excited to be here as part of Wagner College to welcome you to all on this day. I hope you learn a lot and I hope it helps shape who you are going to be,” Doggett added.

rev. Karen Pershing, director of recovery and community initiatives for Project Hospitality, connected the experiences of Jewish immigrants to today’s immigrants and ways students can help others. Wagner College Holocaust Center President Fern Zagor reminded students that their actions and supporting others can help make the world a better place.

By the end of the seminar, students were asked to write on a butterfly what they would say to a refugee, either during the Holocaust or in the present day, sharing something new they had learned or reflecting on past events. Also, each received a bracelet that read: “Inspire your courage.”

Educators visited the two exhibits with groups of students to teach them about the journey of Jewish immigrants from Denmark and the timeline of the Holocaust. Students immersed themselves in the storytelling of both exhibits, asking questions and learning history in an environment where they were surrounded by information.

In “The Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark,” the exhibit tells the story of how Jewish and non-Jewish neighbors of all ages mobilized to create an example of mass resistance and escape during the Holocaust that would save nearly 95 percent of the Danish Jews. population.

“What Hate Can Do” is an extensive presentation of the history of the Holocaust told through personal stories, objects, photographs and films. It is a 12,000 square meter exhibition that features over 1,250 original objects and survivor testimonies.