102-year-old Holocaust survivor shares life story at USF
USF Chabad, a Jewish student organization at USF, brought a Holocaust survivor to campus last Thursday.
Joseph Alexander, a 102-year-old Holocaust survivor, shared his experience of surviving 12 concentration camps and escaping the Warsaw Ghetto – the largest Nazi ghetto during the Holocaust.
Alexander travels across the U.S., speaking at universities and sharing his life story.
Students and faculty were present to reflect on the lessons of the Holocaust and its relevance today.
Alexander said the need to tell his story grew even stronger after the Nova Music Festival massacre in Israel in 2023.
“It’s more important now than ever, because of the antisemitism that’s been going on,” Alexander said.
He said there is a need to educate future generations about the “dangers of hate and intolerance.”
Born in Kowal, Poland, Alexander said he survived “unspeakable” hardships under Nazi occupation, including forced labor and starvation.
He was liberated by American troops in 1945 and moved to the U.S. four years later.
Alexander built a life in the U.S. and became a leading voice on Holocaust remembrance.
“Starting over in the U.S. was the best thing that happened to me,” he said.
It is important to keep retelling his story to inspire students to stand up against injustice and ensure that history “never repeats itself.”
“I never thought of giving up, I never lost faith, I never stopped believing in god,” Alexander said. “And I said, I may have a bad day today, but I hope tomorrow it’ll be a better day.”
The event was held to honor the International Holocaust Remembrance Day coming up on Feb. 27.
Credits:
Anchors: Abigail Saxe & Gracie Campbell
Reporters: Debora Gruenberg
Web Editor: Clara Rokita Garcia
Audio: Tatyana Purifoy
Tech Director: Ricardo Cuomo
Producer: Debora Gruenberg
Assistant Producer: Luana Martins
Social Media: Karli Kibbee
Teleprompter: Luana Martins
Camera: Carter Timmons
Editor: Paula Sanchez Ruiz
Graduate Assistant: Grace Ficara
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Stephanie Anderson