Dear Friends,

 

My letter today will be a bit longer than usual. As you must be, I am still reeling from the news of the recent attacks in Paris, in which 17 innocent people were assassinated. I sat spellbound, saddened and horrified as the news unfolded, and I was moved and humbled to watch millions publicly demonstrate their resolve against extremism. In the wake of these events, I express Gratz College's sympathy with the victims' families and our community's solidarity with France in the fight against terror.

 

At our Holocaust Teach-In this fall, Dean Guzofsky emphasized the "need to make people understand how heinous it is to kill for an ideal that is misplaced." Sadly, the Paris attacks epitomize that her words still ring true today.

 

In this Insider, you will read about the Teach-In and its truly extraordinary keynote speaker, Father Patrick Desbois, a French priest who has devoted his life to uncovering mass Jewish graves in Ukraine and in other parts of Eastern Europe. You will also be introduced to Nikki Marczak, a student from Australia in our Holocaust and Genocide Studies program. Built on the Gratz foundation of pluralistic education, such programs provide students with the opportunity to gain knowledge rooted in dialogue, which nurtures tolerance and peace.

 

The talent and diversity of our Gratz alumni also shine through in this issue. Alumna and author Nomi Eve will return to Gratz on February 1 to discuss her award-winning book, Henna House. Alumnus and film critic Dr. Eric Goldman will be here on February 26 to give a lecture on Israeli society through film. Finally, 100-year-old alumna Rose Schmukler is not only profiled in this issue of The Insider, but her artwork also graces the Gratz College Leona P. Kramer Gallery, and will be featured during a special gallery opening on February 1. As a tribute to all Gratz alumni, we will also hold a wine and cheese reception at the College at 6 p.m. on February 26, prior to Dr. Goldman's lecture.

 

Now, to all our Insider readers, in this first issue of 2015, I wish you and your loved ones a year of good health and peace.

From working with Indigenous communities in her native Australia to exploring her family's roots in Poland, Nikki Marczak is committed to social justice and genocide prevention. This commitment is in large part the legacy of her family's tragic history. Marczak is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, a genealogical fact that has helped shape the course of her life. In 2013, for example, she enrolled in Gratz's online master's program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies - all the way from her home in Brisbane, Australia. This past summer, she traveled with Gratz on a life-altering journey to Poland. For Marczak's fascinating  story, read more.  

As the writer of The Gratz College Insider, I have had the privilege of interviewing students, professors, board members,alumni and staff, and sharing their stories with you. However, the most humbling experience I have had to date was interviewing Rose Schmukler, a Gratz alumna from the class of 1931. At 100 years old, Rose is a talented and prolific painter, who also writes poetry, exercises regularly and attends classes four days a week at the Katz Jewish Community Center in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. For Rose's inspiring story, read more.