Page 11 - Jewish News_January 2022

FEDERATION NEWS January 2022 11A

Town Square

Innovative Adult Day Center

Town Square will be opening its first Florida

location in Sarasota on January 24th!

Come visit our center at 3882 Central

Sarasota Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34238!

Memberships are being accepted now!

Please call us or drop in for a tour.

Town Square is fashioned after a 1950's

main street, with 10 unique, immersive

storefronts where our specially-trained staff
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providing a safe and fun environment for

your loved one.

NOW SCHEDULING TOURS AND ENROLLING MEMBERS - CONTACT US
BY EMAIL OR PHONE TODAY

941-336-5061

membershipsarasota@townsquare.net townsquare.net/sarasota

Lessons from Holocaust Education Week

to last a lifetime

By Bette Zaret, Holocaust Education and Programming
he Jewish Federation of Sara- sion to invite a Holocaust survivor to one of his students, Autumn Brannan:
sota-Manatee is immensely speak in their classrooms to share their “I think the daffodil garden is a great
Tgrateful to Sarasota County story of resilience, courage and hope. memorial and a good way to put out a
Schools and the School District of We have received such amazing very important message. Hearing (Ho- Rachel Lenerz’s 5 grade class at Pine View
th
Manatee County and their boards for feedback from students and teachers locaust survivors) Mr. and Mrs. Tobias School planted their daffodil garden and are
their partnership in helping to provide related to our Holocaust Education speak to us about their stories was very awaiting for the flowers to bud in the spring
quality Holocaust education to their Week programs and resources, far too incredible and something I will nev- imaginable. It is vital to society as a
students. many for this article, but we hope to er forget. I was honored to hear their whole that we learn from past mistakes
As mandated for K-12 instruction post all the wonderful comments and stories from a tragic event in history. to ensure that they are never repeated.
by the State of Florida Department photos we received on our website for I think that sharing these stories helps The Daffodil Project helped me be-
all to see. We hope even more prevent them from ever happening in come more aware that there are still so
schools will participate in the the future.… This experience has tru- many children in the world who suffer
future. Here are a few of the ly meant a lot to me and touched my humanitarian crises today. I learned not
comments: heart.” to take anything for granted, especially
“During Holocaust Edu- As a student who participated my childhood, because we only get to
cation Week, seventh Grade in last year’s Daffodil Project at Mi- live it once and so many are still de-
Social Studies classes in chelle Portnow Rivas’ 5 grade class nied that simple right to be a kid! 1.5
th
Mr. Schimek and Mrs. Morri- at Gulf Gate Middle School said at a million children were denied that right
son’s classes at Sarasota Mid- recent school board meeting, you can during the Holocaust and we cannot let
dle School learned about the see the important impact of our Holo- that happen again.”
events of the Holocaust and caust Education: “My name is Nicho- For more information on Holo-
th
Sarasota Middle School students created their daffodil garden how it affected the lives of las Brown. I am a 6 grade student at caust Education and Programming,
with the names of Jewish children who perished in the Holocaust Jewish children. They began Sarasota Middle School. Last year at please contact me at bzaret@jfedsrq.
of Education, November 8-12, 2021, to participate in the Daffodil Project Gulf Gate Elementary, I participated in org or 941.228.3676.
was Holocaust Education Week. We and learned of the garden that will be the Daffodil Project
were pleased to see so many schools planted at their school to honor the 1.5 with Mrs. Rivas and
and teachers use the Holocaust educa- million children who died in the Holo- my 5 grade class.
th
tion resources we offered on our web- caust. They created their own “garden” This experience was
site created specifically for them. We of posters that are currently displayed. very important to
were also grateful to the schools that Each student wrote the name of a youth me because I already
celebrated World Kindness Day by who died in the Holocaust on a yellow had a strong interest
planting a daffodil garden on their cam- paper daffodil and added words and in that era of history.
puses as part of the worldwide Daffodil symbols of remembrance and hope.” The acts that were
Project, remembering the 1.5 million Mr. Baker, the Social Studies Chair committed against
children who perished in the Holo- at Buffalo Creek Middle School in humanity were un- th
caust. Teachers also marked the occa- Bradenton, shared a letter written by thinkable and un- Michelle Portnow Rivas’ 5 grade class after planting
their daffodil garden at Gulf Gate Middle School