HTMC is excited to recognize Gail Kastenholz as our first volunteer of the Month for 2014.

Gail is the daughter of Holocaust Survivors, June and Raphael Hecht. Both of her parents were from Stanislow, Poland.  They survived by being hidden by a Polish farmer. Most members of their immediate and extended families perished. After liberation they married and lived in Eschwege, Germany a Displaced Persons Camp where their first daughter was born in 1946.  Raphael founded and was the Principal of the first school for Jewish Children who survived the Holocaust. Gail’s parents immigrated to the United States in June 1947.  Gail was born in Brooklyn in 1950.

June passed away in 1974 before the First Gathering of Holocaust Survivors took place in Israel and when there were very few books, or films written about the events of the Holocaust. Raphael passed away in 1997.  Inspired by the courage of her mother and father, seeking more information and looking for connections with other children of Holocaust survivors, Gail joined and became the first President of Generation to Generation the first North Shore Second Generation Group on Long Island more then three decades ago.  Originally an awareness group for 2G’s, the mission soon became educating the community and local schools.  An affiliation with Yale University allowed Generation to Generation to conduct some of the first oral histories of Holocaust survivors. These testimonies are still housed at Yale and provide first hand testimony to students, scholars and educators.

Gail worked for the NYC Department of Education for 34 years. She was a speech therapist and held various administrative positions in the field of Special Education. Upon retiring, Gail was able to dedicate more of her time to her passions and became an active member of HMTC.  Gail is a docent, facilitator, educator and volunteer.  She also conducts video-conferences and is a trained facilitator for our unique police program. Gail has chaired two survivor family events in 2010 and 2011, and is on the steering committee for the June 8th, 2014 event honoring Holocaust survivors, liberators, rescuers and their descendants.

Of her life experiences Gail says “As a child of Holocaust survivors, an educator, a parent, and a grandparent, the mission of the Center is and has been part of my way of thinking since childhood.  It is my privilege to be part of this wonderful community of committed and caring individuals. My parents instilled in me strength of mind, heart and character.  They loved this country and the freedom they were afforded so that they were able to start a new and wonderful chapter in their lives. I honor them in all I do.

I love spending time with my daughter Tamar, my son Joshua, my daughter in-law Rebecca and my grandson Rafi.  I thank my husband Bill for his on-going love and support.”

“OUR PAST SHAPES OUR FUTURE”

Gail, it is truly an honor to highlight someone who has given so much to the Center and continues to be such an inspiration. Thank you for getting 2014 off to an incredible start!