The Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County held their 21st Annual Gala Tribute Dinner Tuesday night – part of an effort to not only remember the horrific events of the Holocaust, but ensure that history will not be repeated.
The event serves as one of the main fundraisers for the center, according to Chairman Steve Markowitz, who in his opening speech for the night warned that recent hate crimes around Long Island were similar to the events that preceded the Holocaust. While Markowitz said he was not implying that “something like the Holocaust is about to happen,” he did urge that the acts of hatred be addressed by members of the community.
“Hate and intolerance must be dealt with,” he said.
Markowitz, along with other members of the board of trustees, honored Jack Foley and Jon Cooper for their contributions to the center over the past years. Both Foley and Cooper are members of the center’s board of trustees.
Foley, currently the senior vice president of Titles Associates, not only dedicates his time and resources to the center, but to a number of other non-profit and charitable organizations including the Long Island Special Olympics.
Cooper, currently president of the Spectronics Corporation, was recognized for his work in the public sector, as well as with the center. Cooper served as the representative for Huntington in the Suffolk County Legislature and sat as the majority leader for more than 10 years. He was recognized as one of the “Ten Leaders Who Changed Long Island” by Long Island Business News.
The center also bestowed the Bruce Morrell Education Award to Lori Gately, a Central Islip School District educator. After attending a program at the Center, Gately helped to form “Human Rights Day” in Suffolk County.
Guests were also heard from Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger, a family physician from Florida.
Wollschlaeger grew up as the son of a Nazi party member who never spoke of the Holocaust. As Wollschlaeger grew up and learned more about the tragic events that took place all over Europe, he was “caught in between a rock and a hard place” in wanting to trust his father, but also to recognize that the Germans were responsible for these tragic events.
Wollschlaeger eventually left Europe and converted to Judaism. He said he carried the burden of being the son of a Nazi for years before eventually “coming out of the closet.”
Wollschlaeger told his story in his book “Stauffenberg: My Life in the Shadow of a Hero.”
Gloria Gaynor, the singer behind the No. 1 hit “I Will Survive,” also spoke to the crowd to talk about her forthcoming book “We Will Survive,” which tells the stories of those who have encountered acts of hatred.
In one of the chapters, Gaynor interviews Annie Bleiberg, a Holocaust survivor and member of the center.
Gaynor said she “fell in love” with Bleiberg while learning about her history and the history of the Holocaust. She then performed her song for the audience
Barry Skolnick, a member of the board of trustees, said he has been impressed with the growth of the gala every year.
“They’re on the right track,” he said. “The growth has just been tremendous.”
State Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) spoke of the growing support of the annual dinner and of the center.
“This originally began as a mom-and-pop organization ran by survivors,” he said. “[And] the community support just continues to grow.”
