An Evening With Holocaust Survivor, Joseph Matzner & Rwandan Genocide Survivor, Ernest Rugwizngonga

Abstract

Holocaust survivor Joseph Matzner and Rwandan genocide survivor Ernest Rugwizangonga present at Temple Ner Tamid, Peabody, Mass. Matzner recounts his experiences of being born into a religious Jewish family in Poland and surviving the Nazi invasion, detailing the escalation of persecution from anti-Jewish laws to the mass killings carried out by special forces after the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union. Rugwizangonga subsequently details the transition in 1994 Rwanda from peaceful coexistence to the brutal, systematic violence that took the lives of his family members and countless others. Students in grades 7-12 were encouraged to attend the presentation with their parents . Sponsored by The Holocaust Center, Boston North Inc. Hosted by Temple Ner Tamid, Peabody, Mass., and The Men’s Club.