Students Hear Love Story Born in Holocaust Concentration Camp

Love letters written in secret at a Nazi concentration camp became a lesson in hope for hundreds of New Jersey students this week.

Fred Polak stood before students at Nottingham Middle School in Scotch Plains, sharing the remarkable story of his parents Jack and Ina. The couple met at Westerbork, a Nazi transit camp in Holland, where they exchanged secret love letters while facing unimaginable hardship during the Holocaust.

The Wednesday night program drew students, educators, and community members for Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. They gathered to hear firsthand accounts of survival and to learn why remembering these stories matters now more than ever.

Polak, a former federal prosecutor who now travels the country as a Holocaust educator, uses his parents' story to teach younger generations about the dangers of hate and antisemitism. His parents were among the small percentage of Dutch Jews who survived the Holocaust, and their devotion to each other helped them endure.

Their story became the basis for the award-winning documentary "Steal a Pencil for Me," named for the small acts of connection that sustained them in the camps. The film shows how love and humanity can persist even in the darkest circumstances.

Dr. Adara Goldberg from the Holocaust Resource Center at Kean University opened the program by emphasizing the urgency of preserving survivor stories. With fewer survivors able to share their experiences directly, second-generation speakers like Polak carry forward these vital lessons.

The event included powerful moments of remembrance. High school students Saya Zamor, Opal Bangar, and Abigale Laney read poems honoring victims. Teachers and community members lit candles in memory of the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust.

One special guest brought living history to the room. Joe Schott, a 104-year-old WWII veteran and longtime Fanwood resident, joined Polak at the front of the auditorium. Students had the rare opportunity to meet someone who served during the war that ended the Holocaust.

Kiran Patel from Westfield High School introduced "The Partisan's Hymn," a song of resistance from the Holocaust era. Student artwork displayed throughout the middle school reflected their learning about this dark period in history.

Why This Inspires

This program shows how communities are finding meaningful ways to keep history alive for new generations. Rather than treating the Holocaust as distant history, educators in Scotch Plains and Fanwood made it personal and relevant through stories of real people.

The students didn't just hear about atrocities. They learned about resilience, the power of human connection, and how ordinary people can stand against hate. By bringing together a 104-year-old veteran and the son of survivors, the program created a bridge between generations.

These young people are now part of a chain of remembrance. They heard Jack and Ina's love story directly from their son, and they can carry that story forward to others. In a time when hate and antisemitism still threaten communities, this education matters deeply.

The program also demonstrated community commitment to fighting prejudice. Fanwood Memorial Library director Dan Weiss and educators Rebecca DiBrienza and Barbara Prestridge participated, showing how institutions beyond schools support Holocaust education.

Jack and Ina Polak's love story proves that hope and humanity can survive even in concentration camps. Their son now ensures that their experience teaches young people to recognize hate, stand against it, and choose connection over division.

The students who filled Nottingham Middle School that night won't forget what they learned. They met history through human stories, and that makes all the difference.