Holocaust survivors speak at seminar

A record number of Hamilton high school students took part in this year’s 15th annual Holocaust student seminar.

The seminar was held at Mohawk College today, and featured keynote speakers including Holocaust survivors. More than a thousand students learned about human courage and protection for human rights both overseas and here in Canada.

Elly Gotz, a Holocaust survivor, shared his personal experience as a Jewish teenager during World War II. “I was 13 in a normal house and I lived a normal life in school until the war came and suddenly I became a despised part of humanity. And at the age of 13 it was very depressing and very upsetting. But I lived through it, I survived through a lot of miracles.”

Gotz says he also teaches students about hate, and acting against injustices. He has been speaking to students about the Holocaust for 35 years.