From the New York Post: A Brooklyn middle-school principal denied a parent’s request to have a Holocaust survivor speak to students about antisemitism — saying the victim’s pro-Israel views are not appropriate for a public school.
MS 447 Principal Arin Rusch wrote to the parent Nov. 18 claiming Nazi labor-camp survivor Sami Steigmann’s opinions would not be “right” for the Boerum Hill school.
“In looking at his website material, I also don’t think that Sami’s presentation is right for our public school setting, given his messages around Israel and Palestine,” Rusch claimed.
“I’d love to explore other speakers,” she said — insisting that lectures about the Holocaust — the Nazis’ slaughter of 6 million Jews during World War II — and combatting antisemitism are still welcome.
The report points out that Steigmann, 85, makes no mention of the Israel-Hamas war on his home page or in his bio, but he has confirmed in some of his lectures that he’s a proud Jew who supports Israel and the Jewish state’s right to defend itself from enemies such as Hamas.
According to Steigmann’s bio, he was born in what is now Ukraine on Dec. 21, 1939. He and his parents were forced to stay at a labor camp from 1941 to 1944, where he reportedly endured unspeakable horrors.
Last month, and organization called “Heroes of Truth” featured Steigmann in an Instagram post and wrote:
Sami Steigmann survived the Holocaust as a child—enduring unimaginable cruelty and emerging as a living testament to resilience. From victim to survivor to educator to IDF soldier, Sami has transformed his pain into purpose. Today, as a motivational speaker, he dedicates his life to educating others about the dangers of hatred and indifference.
Through his talks across the world, Sami reaches people of all ages with a message of hope, courage, and responsibility. His words echo with timeless urgency: “Never give up. Never lose hope. Never be a perpetrator. And above all, never be a bystander.” Sami reminds us that the Holocaust—and every genocide—happened because too many stood silent. His life is a call to action: to choose empathy, to act with courage, and to be part of the solution.
This is who the Brooklyn middle school principal thought wouldn’t be fit to speak to students at her school.
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