In a gesture of friendship, education and understanding, Bruriah High School invited the neighboring Benedictine Academy to spend the afternoon with them last week and tour the 11th grade’s Holocaust Museum.

Forty students from the Catholic high school attended, along with two teachers, and were treated to a tour led by student docents. They also had surprise visits by Elizabeth mayor, Chris Bollwage, and Holocaust survivor and long-time JEC benefactor Mrs. Clara Kramer, and her sister Naomi, who was visiting from Israel.

For many of the Benedictine students, this was the first time that they had encountered the Holocaust in any form beyond the written word, and walking through the grim exhibits produced by the Bruriah junior class left many visibly shaken.

Students from both schools engaged each other with questions. The accompanying educators were gratified that the visit was one the students will not easily forget. Students were motivated to contribute to the 1.5 million penny project in memory of the 1.5 million Jewish children murdered during the Holocaust and many left written notes expressing what the world should do to prevent genocide in the future.

The highlight for many was hearing from Mrs.Kramer and her sister who described their family’s survival living underground in a tiny bunker for nearly two years.

Benedictine has expressed appreciation for the invitation and a hope that there will be collaboration between the two schools in the future.

The tour was one of many throughout the week that brought survivors to visit as well as leaders from the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, the Holocaust Council, the NJ Holocaust Commission and Kean University.