Members of the Holocaust Survivors Speakers Bureau teach students and adults about the Holocaust through eyewitness testimony. Survivors, liberators, and rescuers speak in classrooms, religious institutions, community venues, and at JFCS. Through firsthand accounts of the horrors of the Holocaust, thousands of students and Bay Area residents learn about the importance of tolerance, embracing diversity, and combating hatred. The survivor speakers help to ensure that the Holocaust will not occur again and that its universal lessons are remembered.
 

How do I arrange for a Holocaust survivor to speak at my school or institution?
To request a speaker for your school or institution, please complete a Speakers Bureau Request Form and email it to Debbie Kahn at DebbieK@jfcs.org.

How much advance notice must I give to schedule a speaking date?
You must send an email request, as indicated above, at least four weeks before the speaking date you request. We will not honor requests made fewer than four weeks in advance.

What is the appropriate age or grade to hear a Holocaust survivor speak?
Grades 8 – 12, college students, and adults. Requests for speakers to address students below grade 8 will not be honored.

What preparation must my students have prior to hearing a survivor speaker?
Hearing a survivor speak is a supplement to your Holocaust curriculum and is not intended as a replacement for formal Holocaust study. Requests for speakers in classrooms that have not had some study of the Holocaust will not be honored.

What happens after I send my email request for a speaker?
You will receive confirmation of your request and will be contacted by Jessica Minturn to determine the best speaker for your group.

Will I need to provide transportation to my school?
Yes, it is very likely that the survivor will need to be provided with transportation to and from your location.

When are the survivors available to speak?
Survivors are available to speak during the week, between the hours of 9:30 am and 4:00 pm, depending on their schedules. Survivors are not available in the early morning hours, in the evening, or on the weekends.

What kind of experiences will the speakers talk about?
The survivors who speak will have a variety of Holocaust experiences that they will share. They are not historians; rather they are living witnesses who will testify regarding their individual experience. Some are concentration camp survivors; some were hidden children or on the Kindertransport; some were refugees, liberators, or witnesses. Each has an important story to tell, and we request that you be sensitive to and appreciative of each of their special experiences.

How long should I expect the survivor to speak?
Please plan for at least an hour for the speaker. Remember that the speakers are describing complex and traumatic events, and should not be expected to abbreviate their stories. If there is not an hour available, please be respectful and discuss this with the speaker before you invite him or her to speak at your school.

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