News from the 19th Floor – Alfred Lerner Fellows – July 2022
News from the 19th Floor
2022 SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS
The 2022 Summer Institute for Teachers (SIT) was terrific! I would like to thank our 2022 Alfred Lerner Fellows, there are 23, and our scholars for making this year’s SIT the success that it was. It was good to be back in person!
The 2022 Summer Institute was the JFR’s 22nd and was held at the Hilton Newark Airport. The five days we spent together was academically stimulating, exciting, and challenging. We are proud to welcome a group of gifted, talented, and committed educators to the program.
Our scholars this year were, in order of their lecture – Doris Bergen, Benjamin Carter Hett, Samuel Kassow, Peter Hayes, Lawrence Douglas, Steven Field, Daniel Greene, Edward Westermann, Robert Jan van Pelt, Jeffrey Burds, Alexandra Zapruder, and Paul Salmons. Sheri Rosenblum presented on educational resources available from the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation. Stanlee Stahl, JFR’s Executive Vice President, presented on rescue. The text for the Summer Institute is How Was it Possible? A Holocaust Reader by Peter Hayes.
Click here to see the photo gallery!
ALFRED LERNER FELLOWSHIP
Alfred Lerner, the founding chairman and chief executive officer of MBNA Corporation, passed away in October 2002. He was a valued advisor and supporter of the JFR from its early years.
In tribute to Al Lerner’s commitment to the work of the Foundation and in particular to his special interest in Holocaust education, The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous established the Alfred Lerner Fellowship program in 2002. All of the teachers who attend the Summer Institute for Teachers are known as Alfred Lerner Fellows. It is both a pleasure and an honor for the Foundation to confer on each of these men and women the privilege of bearing the name of this remarkable and beloved friend of the JFR. Today there are more than 650 Alfred Lerner Fellows.
RESCUER AWARDS WILL BE SENT IN JULY
The JFR will be sending awards to rescuers the end of July. The JFR sends funds three times during the year – March, July, and November. Funds are sent after the JFR receives proof-of-life documentation from each rescuer receiving financial assistance from the JFR. Proof-of-life documents are due into the JFR office July 1st. Funds are not sent until these forms, which includes a notarized affidavit stating that the person is alive, are received. We continue to remain in contact with rescuers in Ukraine.
As a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and subsequent bank sanctions, the JFR is unable to send funds to rescuers living in Belarus or the Russian Federation. We have notified rescuers in both countries of the situation.
JFR MOURNS THE PASSING OF JOZEF WALASZCZYK
Jozef Walaszczyk, a Righteous Gentile from Poland, passed away on June 18, 2022, at the age of 102. Mr. Walaszczyk was the JFR’s oldest rescuer. On November 19, 2022, Josef would have turned 103. At the JFR’s last luncheon for Polish Righteous in September 2019, we celebrated Mr. Walaszczyk’s upcoming 100th birthday! May Mr. Walaszczyk’s memory be a blessing.
WE WELCOME OUR 2022 HIGH SCHOOL INTERN TO THE JFR
This summer we welcome Luke Byun to the JFR. Luke, a senior at West Orange High School in West Orange, NJ, joined our staff in June and will be with us for the summer.
AMAZON PRIME DAY – JULY 12-13
If you shop on Amazon and plan to purchase items during Amazon Prime Day, July 12-13, 2022, please consider making the JFR your charity! Please see below for how to do this.
Simply follow the instructions below to select The Jewish Foundation for The Righteous Inc. as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. Amazon will donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to us.
How it works:
1. Open the Amazon app on your phone
2. Select the main menu (=) & tap on “AmazonSmile” within Programs & Features
3. Select “The Jewish Foundation for The Righteous Inc” as your charity
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app
