Guest Speaker Michael Igel Inspires Resilience and Remembrance
April 04, 2024
On Tuesday, April 2, Shorecrest welcomed guest speaker Michael Igel, a grandson of Holocaust survivors, to the Janet Root Theatre. Mr. Igel is the Chair of The Florida Holocaust Museum and Chair of the Florida Commissioner of Education’s Task Force on Holocaust Education. Through storytelling of his family's experience during the Holocaust, Mr. Igel emphasized the impact and importance of doing the right thing even in tough situations.
Recounting a harrowing chapter in his family's history, Mr. Igel shared the story of his grandparents whose lives were saved through the heroic acts of non-Jewish Polish farmers who were eventually killed for hiding Jewish families.
“The lessons of the Holocaust are more important than ever,” Igel shared. “It was the worst in humanity - but that's not the full sentence - it was also the best in humanity."
Applying the framework of the roles of victim, perpetrator, bystander and upstander, Mr. Igel emphasized the opportunity to make good choices one small act at a time. “Regular people do extraordinary things," he said.
"You don’t just 'become' an upstander," he noted. "But by doing good things regularly it can become a habit. Better the community one person at a time.”
Following the presentation, a sophomore student reflected, "It was thought-provoking to know that someone's choice in a moment saved someone's entire family, especially during such a difficult time when the choice had such drastic consequences, making the decision so powerful."
"I liked that Mr. Igel was able to open the topic up to broader aspects of daily life, encouraging me to make a meaningful impact on my daily life," shared an eleventh grade student. "I appreciated the fact that he helped me think about my choices."
Thank you to Mr. Michael Igel and The Florida Holocaust Museum for this unique learning opportunity.
