"We are deeply grateful for the opportunity our students had to learn from you yesterday. Your presentations were powerful in the way they combined personal stories about your grandfather with important historical information and context, and also a crucial call for all of us to be intentional about never forgetting and about finding the courage to intervene when we witness antisemitism. I had been looking forward to your visit and the message you would deliver to our students. I sensed from our earlier conversations that it would be good. But the reality of the visit surpassed my hopes. The students were attentive and engaged, and left the Concert Hall thinking and talking about what they had just heard. You've helped us build a foundation for ongoing work in the area of upstander skills. Thank you for making the trip and working with our community."
Teacher
"Sometimes it feels like things are happening in the world that are too big for any one person to make a difference. You coming here and speaking to over 600 teenagers and adults gave me the example of one person making a difference. Thank you for sharing your family in such a personal way. I think it kept people with a range of views open, instead of closed, to hearing the impact of being a bystander vs an upstander in our world. I know it made a difference to me.
Thank you again for what you are doing."
Parent
At the end of our time together, Ms. Shink told my students that as she is a Holocaust witness, with intimate knowledge of her grandparents’ firsthand experiences, so they too are now witnesses. She empowered my students to be part of the world that never forgets. I cannot imagine teaching a Holocaust literature unit without this sort of opportunity, again. Everything we read and studied came to life and mattered in new and tangible ways. I highly recommend Ms. Shink to any organization that seeks to not only know and preserve the truths of the Holocaust, but desires to promote connectedness to one another and to those who want to be agents of peace for all people.
7th Grade Student
Dear Judi, thank you for taking time to come to our class to teach us about your grandpa's history with the Holocaust. I really enjoyed learning about it, I really liked how you made it even more interesting with showing us visuals that you kept from your Grandpa. Again thank you so much for coming and teaching us about the powerful legacy of your family.
7th Grade Student
Dear Ms. Judi,
Thank you so much for coming to our School to tell us about grandpa Jack. I was really inspired when he was so skinny and weak but he still lived. This story taught me to never give up and to stick up for people no matter if their Jewish or not. I will always remember this powerful story of grandpa Jack!
Thank you so much!
8th Grade Student
Ms. Judi, Thank you so much for coming in and telling us the story of Grandpa Jack. I really enjoyed listening to you talk. I think that was the quietest or classroom has ever been, not because everyone was sleeping, but because everyone was interested in Jack's story. <3
