Alex Lebenstein Named Humanitarian Award Winner
Congratulations to Alex Lebenstein on being named one of this year’s Humanitarian Award winners from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC). Since 1963, VCIC has presented the Humanitarian Awards annually to individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the promotion of respect and understanding among people of diverse racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Alex and the other winners will be honored at the 47th annual Richmond Chapter Humanitarian Awards Dinner Tuesday, October 27, 2009.
As a child living in Germany, Alex’s nightmare began on November 11, 1938 when the Nazi’s entered his city of Haltern, Germany on “Kristallnacht” destroying all things Jewish in their path. Along with his parents he witnessed the Nazis destroying their possessions, their security and the only home that he had known.
While his story is much like many other Holocaust survivors, Alex’s experience has influenced thousands of young people on both sides of the Atlantic, promoting racial harmony, anti-bias education and social justice. Sixty years after trying to forget, Alex not only remembers but also shares the messages of the Holocaust with others.
Being encouraged to tell his story to youth, Alex began accepting invitations to speak; first, in his hometown of Haltern, Germany at the request of the students who needed to understand their history, the history of their grandparents and parents. Upon his return, Alex began accepting requests to speak throughout Central Virginia. His story told the dates and the facts, but it also told of the challenges Alex endured and how he had overcome them.
Alex ultimately learned as much from the youth as they learned from him. The youth wanted to do more. In Germany they erected monuments, museums (in boxcars), worked toward and became a school against racism and most importantly, inspired the entire town to become involved which led to naming Alex an honorary citizen and renaming the town’s school in his honor, the Alexander Lebenstein Realshule – “School Against Racism; School with Courage.” In Central Virginia, after school presentations or groups led at the Virginia Holocaust Museum, students wrote letters, drew pictures and created a book about Alex. They continue to e-mail him for facts and for encouragement to fight the woes of society and to learn how to live and act civil with others.
To ensure that this important message of tolerance and human rights is told forever, the Alexander Lebenstein Fund for Tolerance and Human Rights has been established at Richmond Jewish Foundation. Contributions to the Foundation for the fund are tax deductible.
If you wish to contribute to the fund or attend the Humanitarian Awards Dinner on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, please contact Robert Nomberg at 804.545.8656.
