“My father, Yitzhak, or Itchele as he was called, was a teacher in the town of Chmielnik, Poland. In 1919, the year I was born, he was hired to teach Yiddish and music in many of the Jewish organizations, which had newly established drama groups.... Every child was given the opportunity to attend a Jew­ish school, even if the family did not have the means to pay tuition. Education was a priority for Chmielnik’s Jewish population – in com­parison to the larger cities in Poland at that time, there was almost no illiteracy in our town.”

David Newman

“I was sent to attend a school for girls from Orthodox families. I didn’t like the idea because I wasn’t that religious, but to please my father I went. I actually learned a lot there and never regretted going.”

Bronia Beker

“My father loved math, science and technology. I was lucky that he shared his enthusiasms with me. Every week, he would take me to the library to borrow books....My mother, on the other hand, loved literature, theatre and the arts. Again, I was fortunate that she shared her interests with me. She loved music and opera and had a good voice herself. She introduced me to opera, classical music and wonderful storybooks.”

Elly Gotz

“As far back as I remember, my brothers and I were taught both Hebrew and Talmud, the oral law and commentaries on the Torah.... My father spent a fortune on our education; there was no limit to it. He had infinite respect for learning. And he knew it was something we could carry with us wherever we might go.”

Morris Schnitzer