Holocaust speaker relays his experiences to students

On Thursday, June 3, Westhill hosted a Holocaust assembly for selected students. Speaking at the assembly was Andy Sarkany, a Holocaust survivor from World War II and current employee of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, who shared his experiences from the war and the concentration camps.

Various social studies classes, including Civics, Modern World, and US History, attended the assembly.

“I think it was a little different then a usual Holocaust speaker,” junior Kirsten Eriksen. “Usually, they have stories about death camps. [It was interesting to hear the speaker] discussed what it was like to be a child growing up in a death camp. Children were always worried about their [parents] getting taken away. It was just a different perspective because as children, they didn’t full understand what was going on. He said how as an adult, he has a greater appreciation for life [because of his experience],” she said.

—Brief compiled by Skyler Ross. Photo by Alana Kasindorf