FFMS Interviews Holocaust Survivors for Names, Not Numbers®

“Prior to the Nazis, did you or your family experience any antisemitism?” “Can you describe when your family began to think about fleeing Germany?” “What does being Jewish mean to you?” These are just a sampling of the meaningful, student-crafted questions driving the Names, Not Numbers® projects at Felix Festa Middle School. This week, CCSD had the honor of welcoming Miriam Edelstein, Denny Herzberg and Alex Levy — Holocaust survivors and the subjects of this year’s documentaries — into one of our schools. Hearing their stories firsthand offers our students an experience that is both rare and deeply impactful, transforming history from something learned into something felt.

While our eighth graders sharpen skills such as responsible journalism and inquiry, the most profound lesson goes beyond academics: learning to seek truth, preserve memory and understand their place in a larger story. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Miriam, Denny and Alex, who so generously shared their time and experiences over the past few days. We are grateful for the opportunity to help ensure their stories live on and look forward to sharing them with our community.