91-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor Speaks to 6,000 in One Week

At 91 years old, Janet Singer Applefield spoke to 6,000 students in a single week, sharing a message she's carried for four decades: the Holocaust didn't start with gas chambers, it started with hateful words.

The child survivor of genocide spent World War II living under false identities in Poland, separated from her family and watching neighbors disappear into concentration camps. After liberation, she reunited with her weakened father and eventually made her way to the United States, where she became a social worker and dedicated her life to education.

On a Wednesday morning in Adams, Massachusetts, more than 100 students filled the gym at Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School to hear her story. Even more watched from their classrooms as she recounted experiences of profound loss and unexpected kindness during one of history's darkest chapters.

But Applefield doesn't just talk about the past. She connects those history book moments to what students see today, encouraging them to recognize patterns and speak up against injustice.

"We live in a very difficult and divided country," she told students after her presentation. Her hope is that young people will refuse to be silent when they witness hatred and discrimination against any group.

Student leaders from the school's Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Union helped organize the event, funded by a state Genocide Education grant that included 225 copies of Applefield's book "Becoming Janet."

Why This Inspires

Applefield's relentless schedule proves that one voice really can create ripples across generations. In 2025, she spoke 80 times to students across the country, and she's on track to match that number this year.

Her daughter Deborah Applefield Milley says her mother feels compelled to reach as many young people as possible. "It's a beautiful treasure," she said, watching her mother refuse to slow down despite her age.

The students grasp the weight of the moment. Junior Aiko Hosmer noted how important it is to hear different stories during polarized times, while senior Ginerys Vazquez Melendez emphasized that the biggest way to fight hatred is by speaking about it and letting people know their voices matter.

Applefield reminded them of something powerful: the people who risked their lives to help the persecuted during the Holocaust didn't just save those individuals. They saved future generations.

Every student who heard her story this week learned that silence helps the perpetrator, but speaking out creates change. At 91, Janet Singer Applefield is living proof that it's never too late to use your voice.