Unprecedented Gathering of Surviving SS St. Louis Passengers, Global...

PRWeb

November 13, 2009

- Mere miles from where the SS St. Louis's asylum efforts were rebuked in 1939 by the U.S. government, more than 32 surviving passengers (more than 40% still living) will re-assemble from around the globe alongside representatives of prominent world organizations and institutions, and international and US dignitaries to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the ship's fated voyage on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the Eden Roc Renaissance Resort in Miami Beach, Florida (www.thestlouisproject.com). Global historical significance is found in this rare, never before assembly of surviving passengers, dignitaries, and representatives from 11 prominent world institutions joined together by The National Foundation for Jewish Continuity, Inc. (NFJC) to acknowledge this watershed moment in world history and honor the SS St. Louis survivors for their heroism.



Central to the program will be the official passenger-signing of United States Senate Resolution 111 that was unanimously passed by the U.S. Senate on May 19, 2009 that acknowledges the ramifications of the U.S. refusal to grant more than 900 Jewish refugees onboard a safe haven from Nazi persecution (view video: http://thestlouisproject.com/?page_id=144). World institutions accepting the signed resolution at the event for their preservation and public display will include an unprecedented group of world institutions: the U.S. Center for Legislative Archives (National Archives) that houses the most significant Congressional documents; United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; State of Israel; Yad Vashem; USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education; Oskar Schindler Family Archives [Schindler's List; Jewish Museum of Berlin; American Jewish Joint Distribution Center (JDC); Jewish Museum of Florida; and The National Foundation For Jewish Continuity, Inc.

Participating dignitaries include 32 surviving passengers, including SS St. Louis Passengers: Herbert Karliner, Liesl Loeb, and Col. Phil Freund (U.S. Army Retired); US Congressman Ron Klein, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who will receive the Passengers Appreciation Award; Ofer Bavly, Consul General of the State of Israel; Klaus H. D. Ranner, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany; Richard Hunt, Director for The U.S. Center for Legislative Archives (National Archives); Scott Miller, Director of Curatorial Affairs of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; Ari Zev, Director of Administration, USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History And Education; Rev. Rosemary Schindler, Trustee: Oskar Schindler Family Archives; Aaron Bernstein, Southern Director for the American Society for Yad Vashem; Dr. Irving A. Smokler, President, American Jewish Joint Distribution Center (JDC), the largest international Jewish humanitarian aid organization in the world today; Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Director, Jewish Museum of Florida; Robert Krakow, playwright/documentarian, Trustee for the U.S. Senate Resolution 111; and Howard Kaye, President, NFJC.

The program will open with a special exhibition on the SS St. Louis presented in cooperation with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and luncheon program with speakers, including surviving SS St. Louis passengers and Rev. Rosemary Schindler, relative of Oskar Schindler. It will follow with the debut of Robert Krakow's original thought-provoking play, "The Trial of Franklin D. Roosevelt" set before the Eternal Court of Justice exploring the historical and political forces influencing Roosevelt's policies regarding the plight of Jewish refugees. The program concludes with a Hanukkah Menorah lighting with SS St. Louis passengers and a special beachfront dedication ceremony.

"This unprecedented historic assembly with the surviving St. Louis passengers to sign the landmark U.S. Senate Resolution 111 among world and U.S. dignitaries will serve as further testimony to the fact that the SS St. Louis voyage was an internationally significant turning point in world history, its ramifications, and its relevance today as intolerance, bigotry, and genocide continue on a global scale," noted Howard Kaye, president of The National Foundation for Jewish Continuity, Inc. "It will both honor the survivors who individually and collectively continue to bear witness to the SS St. Louis watershed voyage and NFJC's efforts to encourage Jewish adults and teens to participate in protecting and continuing to honor and extol the virtues of their birthright and legacy for future generations."

Event Committee includes Jon and Bonnie (Sparaga) Kaye, board members of The National Foundation For Jewish Continuity, Inc.; Arlene Herson, national chair of the Legacy of Light Society of the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.; Nancy and Barry Dershaw, Next Generations; Rabbi Barry J. Konovitch, event chairman for the 50th Anniversary Of The SS St. Louis Voyage;

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