Plymouth Whitemarsh High School hosts Holocaust survivor

Students at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School (PWHS) heard stories that ranged from horror to hope from Holocaust survivor Daniel Goldsmith in honor of international Holocaust Remembrance Day on May 2.

Daniel Goldsmith was ten years old when Nazi soldiers raided his Antwerp, Belgium neighborhood to arrest Jewish families in 1942. His mother brought the children to the roof to hide and later sent them to the countryside. Mr. Goldsmith was moved around to different orphanages but was later discovered and sent to prison. One day, he and several other boys were loaded onto a cattle car headed to a concentration camp. The boys escaped the moving train and spent the remainder of the war hiding in the homes of Catholic families in the Belgian town of Perwez.

“We’re the last generation that will ever hear personally from a Holocaust survivor,” said PWHS junior Hope Barrist who coordinated the event. “It’s our job to spread those stories and keep them alive so hate can stop being spread.”

In addition to sharing his memories of the war, Mr Goldsmith stressed the importance of remembering what happened during the Holocaust in order for it not to happen again.

“As far as I am concerned, my message is don’t hate,” said Mr. Goldsmith. I believe if there had been no hate there would have been no Holocaust. There’s no reason why people can’t treat other people with decency and be nice to each other. So that’s my biggest thing. Don’t hate. Period. The ramifications are great.”

Mr. Goldsmith also stayed afterward to answer additional questions and speak one-on-one with students.

“Hearing this instead of watching a video online is a special moment,” said PWHS sophomore Lynnell Ametame. “It was really interesting and much appreciated.”