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Auschwitz Survivors Share Memories to Make Sure World Never Forgets Ahead of 80th Anniversary of Liberation
The sign “Arbeit macht frei” (“Work makes you free”) is pictured at the main gate of the former Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz in Oswiecim, Poland. Photo: Reuters/Pawel Ulatowski
i24 News — The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany launched a new digital campaign on Monday titled “I Survived Auschwitz: Remember This,” which features 80 survivors of the death camp.
As 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, the Claims Conference is taking advantage of the occasion to commemorate the more than 1.1 million who were murdered at Auschwitz. As the Holocaust begins to disappear from living memory, antisemitism and racism in general is on the rise around the world, making such commemorations all the more important.
“The horrors that occurred at Auschwitz were an evil that no human should ever endure, but also an evil that no human should ever forget,” said Claims Conference President Gideon Taylor. “While it is difficult to imagine oneself in a concentration camp, we can all relate to wanting people to remember loved ones we’ve lost, experiences that shaped us and moments that were important to us. It is critical that we educate future generations about Auschwitz. ‘I Survived Auschwitz: Remember This’ does so by connecting the generations with our shared humanity.”
The 80 survivors were asked to name one specific person, moment, or experience they want generations to come to remember.
The new campaign is partially inspired by the experience of survivor Aron Krell, whose brother, Zvi, dies in the Lodz ghetto from starvation. A soccer player who was the second of the family’s three boys, lack of food, hard forced labor, and lack of medical treatment emaciated Zvi. “Please never forget me,” Zvi told Aron before he died.
“I lost not only Zvi, but my brother Moshe and my mother, Esther in the Holocaust,” Krell said. “I survived five concentration camps and ghettos — including Auschwitz. I know many people can’t fathom what I have endured. But you can understand loving a brother like I loved Zvi, can imagine the unbearable pain that comes with losing one, and, hopefully, agree that the lessons of the Holocaust must always be remembered.”
“The mother dying with her child in her arms, leading her child to death, is, for me the most terrible of the images I still see today,” said Judith Hervé-Elkán, a 98-year-old now living in France. She said the image of the mothers making the ultimate sacrifice for their children is what she wants the world to remember.
“So many mothers, not knowing what awaited them, didn’t let go of their children, their babies, their little ones. What is more terrible in the world than to lead your child to death.”
Herta Vyšná, from Slovakia, recalls her aunt and two children, Lenka and Erika, who were taken by Dr. Josef Mengele to the gas chamber. Her mother was forced to undergo abominable experiments before she died, while her father died in Sachsenhausen camp.
“That is how I lost my parents and was orphaned at the age of thirteen,” she said. “I wish for the memory of my family, who was murdered, to be preserved forever and ever.”
A twin who survived Mengele’s experiments, Jona Laks, said he remembered the day “when we were left alone on the death march, I vowed that I would dedicate all my energy, all my time, everything, to telling, documenting, conveying to people and telling what happened. Because it is impossible for such a dark period to disappear from people’s knowledge and not enter history.”
Eva Szepesi, from Germany, talked about her father, mother, and younger brother who were murdered. Szepesi was given fake papers and sent away, before the Nazis caught up to her and sent her to Auschwitz.
“At the time, I didn’t know my mother, Valerie, and my little brother, Tamas, had already been sent to Auschwitz and murdered there,” she remembered. “And when I entered the gate there, they saw me from above. I didn’t think about it then. Thinking of it would have been fatal.”
One of the oldest survivors, 103-year-old Ella Blumenthal, lost 23 members of her family — but she wants the world to remember that she never gave up hope. Her niece, Roma, “begged me to end our suffering by throwing ourselves onto the electrified fence because she said the only way out of Auschwitz was through the chimney,” Blumenthal said. “I convinced her to wait one more day — and then again another day — because I wasn’t ready to die. I wanted to live.”
In addition to those still living, numerous recordings of notable survivors such as Elie Wiesel are included in the campaign.
The Claims Conference is a nonprofit with offices around the world. It works to help survivors receive compensation, with more than $90 billion paid to victims by the German government since 1952. More than $560 million was paid out in 2023 to over 200,000 survivors. In 2024, some $535 million was secured globally in compensation.
“I Survived Auschwitz: Remember This” can be found on the Claims Conference social media channels and online here.
The post Auschwitz Survivors Share Memories to Make Sure World Never Forgets Ahead of 80th Anniversary of Liberation first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Responds to Norway Donating Profits From World Cup Qualifying Matchup to Aid Gaza
Alexander Sørloth of Norway scores the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup Qualifier football match between Israel and Norway on March 25, 2025, in Debrecen. Photo: VEGARD GRØTT/Bildbyran/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
The Israel Football Association has issued a statement in response to a decision by its Norwegian counterpart to give profits from their mutual World Cup qualifiying match to support humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip.
Norway will host Israel on Oct. 11 at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, in the next round of the European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On Tuesday, the Norwegian Football Association said it “cannot remain indifferent” to humanitarian suffering in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war, and announced that it will donate profits from the Oct. 11 game to aid humanitarian causes supporting Gaza.
“Neither we nor other organizations can remain indifferent to the humanitarian suffering and disproportionate attacks that the civilian population in Gaza has been exposed to for a long time,” said Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness. “Israel is part of FIFA’s and UEFA’s competitions and we have to deal with that. But we want to give the profit to a humanitarian organization that saves lives in Gaza every day and that contributes with active emergency aid on the ground.”
The Norwegian Football Association said it will reveal at a later date which humanitarian organization it will donate to. The association added that it is working with local police and UEFA to ensure the safety of players and fans at the Oct. 11 match in Oslo and will be taking “some extra security measures,” such as limiting capacity at the game. Tickets go on sale next week.
The Israeli Football Association responded on Wednesday in a statement to Telegraph Sport. It urged the Norwegian association to “make sure the money is not transferred to terrorist organizations or to whale hunting,” for which Norway has been criticized internationally. Israel also said it “would be nice” if the Norwegian Football Association would condemn the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
“We do not usually advise associations regarding the use of match revenue, even if it is obtained thanks to a match against our proud national team, but we will deviate from our custom this time: it would be nice if some of the amount were directed to try to finding a condemnation by the Norwegian FA of the Oct. 7 massacre that claimed the lives of hundreds of Israeli citizens and children, or action in favor of the release of 50 hostages – and please, make sure that the money is not transferred to terrorist organizations or to whale hunting,” the Israeli Football Association said in a statement. It also said it aims to gain 3 points at the October match.
Israel has been unable to host matches on its home soil for international competitions because of security concerns related to the Israel-Hamas war. It competed in a qualifying match against Norway in Hungary in March, which Norway won 4-2.
The Italian Soccer Coaches’ Association (AIAC) is demanding that Israel be suspended from international competitions ahead of Italy’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against the Jewish state that are set for September and October. Italy is set to play Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sept. 8, before hosting Israel in Udine on Oct. 14.
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Toronto Film Festival CEO Apologizes Again for Canceling, Then Rescheduling Screening of Oct. 7 Documentary
Skyline of Toronto, Canada. Photo Credit: Aaron Davis, Wikimedia Commons, June 2020.
The CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has apologized again for the festival’s decision to cancel and then reschedule the screening of a documentary about the Hamas-led terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
“I want to apologize for any hurt, frustration, or disappointment that our communication about the film has caused, and for any mischaracterizations that have taken root,” Cameron Bailey said at a pre-festival event on Wednesday, according to The Canadian Press. “We’re working now — and we will be for a while — to clarify things and to repair relationships.”
Bailey made the comments during his first public appearance since the festival stirred controversy last week when it removed the documentary “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” from its official lineup of films. Directed by Canadian filmmaker Barry Avrich, the documentary recounts how retired Israeli Army general Noam Tibon traveled from his home in Tel Aviv to the Nahal Oz kibbutz to rescue his son and his family from Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7 attack. The film combines news interviews with footage from the deadly massacre.
Bailey said on Wednesday that TIFF originally wanted to showcase the film out of “a desire to share a painful but important story with audiences who choose to witness it,” as reported by The Canadian Press. “That commitment to challenging, relevant screen storytelling remains strong,” he added.
Festival organizers pulled the film last week because of issues with “legal clearance of all footage.” The move sparked widespread outrage from Jewish groups, entertainment industry leaders, and politicians. In response, Bailey apologized on Aug. 13 for disinviting the film and said TIFF was committed to working with the filmmakers to meet the festival’s screening requirements.
The next day, Bailey and Avrich announced in a joint statement that the film has officially rejoined the festival. They reached a resolution that clears up “important safety, legal, and programming concerns” regarding the film after hearing “pain and frustration” from the public, according to their statement.
“TIFF’s communication around [the film’s] requirements did not clearly articulate the concerns and roadblocks that arose and for that, we are sorry,” Bailet and Avrich said. “Both TIFF and the filmmakers have always been committed to presenting diverse perspectives and a belief in the power of storytelling to spark and encourage dialogue and understanding. We thank our audiences and community for their passion, honesty and belief in the importance of film.”
“The Road Between Us” is now slated to make its world premiere at TIFF on Sept. 10 at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. Tickets go on sale for the public on Monday. TIFF will run from Sept. 4-14.
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Arizona Man Charged With Threatening Synagogues to Take Out ‘Jew Government’
Kevin Charles Pyles, 32, Glendale, Arizona, man accused of threatening violence against Jews. Photo: Screenshot.
Law enforcement officials in Arizona have arraigned a man from city of Glendale who is accused of threatening to commit antisemitic hate crimes and mass casualty events, according to local media reports.
Over four months, Kevin Charles Pyles, 32, declared to his social media followers that he hates Jews, people of color, and the state of Israel, adding that he believes the US is a “Jew government.” As Pyles’ delusions grew, so did his ambitions, and before long threatened to detonate explosives outside the local Sha’arei Shalom Congregation synagogue by shooting propane tanks.
According to a CBS affiliate, the disturbing tirades caught the attention of the Secure Community Network (SCN) — a nonprofit organization which partners with law enforcement to promote safety and thwart imminent threats to the Jewish community — which reported Pyles to Phoenix police.
“This is very painful. It’s not right to do that,” Rabbi Pinhas Nisanov of Sha’arei Shalom Congregation told KTVK-3TV in a statement. “We have to respect each, and each other, even other religions.”
In another statement to the outlet, Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz of Arizona Jews for Justice said, “Hatred is growing and antisemitism is growing, and we all have to call it out wherever we see it. Wherever we see stereotypes and bias and hate, we have to call it out.”
Antisemitic activity across the country continues to challenge a once ironclad consensus that the US is a safe haven for the Jewish people.
On Monday, a telecenter operator who was, until Tuesday, employed by Fidelity Investments launched a volley of antisemitic insults at a Jewish journalist via social media after learning that her children attend a summer camp which fosters pride in Zionism.
“F—k you and f—k your kid who goes to Nazi summer camp!” Danielle Gordon, the now-former employee, wrote to Bethany Mandel, author and contributor to the “Mom Wars” Substack. “Free Palestine from you sick f—ks!”
The exchange began when Mandel publicly discussed the presence of a paraglider over the camp’s property which, due to lingering trauma caused by the memory of the use of paragliders in Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel — which preceded an explosion of antisemitic incidents across the US — appeared to pose an imminent security threat. Gordon seemingly took umbrage at Mandel’s concern for Jewish life and the lives of her children, and hastily fired off the messages from an account which listed her legal name.
“I found it troubling that she sent such antisemitic vitriol when she’s just a working class, college educated white woman living in Denver — that is how far this rot has spread,” Mandel told The Algemeiner on Monday after her sharing of Gordon’s messages amassed over a million views on X. “Antisemitism has become normative discourse for people of her demographic.”
Mandel continued, “That word, Zionist, triggered her very much, and she had no qualms about coming at me, coming at my kids … There should be consequences for talking like this.”
This incident came just weeks after another sudden outburst of hatred against Jews.
Earlier this month, Eden Deckerhoff — a female student at Florida State University (FSU) — allegedly assaulted a Jewish male classmate at the Leach Student Recreation Center after noticing his wearing apparel issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“F—k Israel, Free Palestine. Put it [the video] on Barstool FSU. I really don’t give a f—k,” the woman said before shoving the man, according to video taken by the victim. “You’re an ignorant son of a b—h.” Deckerhoff has since been charged with misdemeanor battery.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Deckerhoff has denied assaulting the student when questioned by investigators, telling them, “No I did not shove him at all; I never put my hands on him.” However, law enforcement charged her with misdemeanor battery and described the incident in court documents as seen in viral footage of the incident, acknowledging that Deckerhoff “appears to touch [the man’s] left shoulder.” Despite her denial, the Democrat noted, she has offered to apologize.
Days later, an unknown person or group graffitied swastikas and other hateful messages on the grounds of the Israeli-American Council’s (IAC) national headquarters in Los Angeles, underscoring the severity of the antisemitism crisis in the US.
“F—k Jews,” one cluster of graffiti said.
“BDS,” the message added, referring to the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement against Israel.
The wave of hate follows a pattern of year-on-year surges in acts of anti-Jewish bigotry.
In 2024, according to newly released FBI statistics, hate crimes perpetrated against Jews increased by 5.8 percent to 1,938, the largest total recorded in over 30 years of the FBI’s counting them. Jewish American groups noted that this surge, which included 178 assaults, is being experienced by a demographic group which constitutes just 2 percent of the US population.
A striking 69 percent of all religion-based hate crimes that were reported to the FBI in 2024 targeted Jews, with 2,041 out of 2,942 total such incidents being antisemitic in nature. Muslims were targeted the next highest amount as the victims of 256 offenses, or about 9 percent of the total.
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.