> Windsor Federal Savings Assists Bloomfield Schools & JFACT of CT
Windsor Federal Savings Assists Bloomfield Schools & JFACT of CT
A brief gathering was held on October 5th at the Bloomfield branch of Windsor Federal Savings, with Harold Harper, Bloomfield Branch Sales Manager, presenting the $5,000 check to Robert Fishman, Executive Director of JFACT, and David Baram, Vice President of the JFACT fund. Fishman and Baram both expressed their appreciation, on behalf of JFACT, as well as for the students that the donation will benefit. Fishman said: "We are indebted to Windsor Federal for this donation, which will be used for our work with the schools and the Identity project, to promote education about Genocide and the Holocaust". Baram stated: "The Identity project is extremely valuable. It is a character building program that has a number of components, including helping kids to recognize the importance of speaking out when they see things like disrespect, discrimination, or even genocide. It helps them to learn that they can have a personal impact and should." Harold Harper, Bloomfield Branch Sales Manager for Windsor Federal Savings, believes that assisting the community is part of the fabric of the bank: "We try to live up to our motto of "neighbors helping neighbors", and we want to make sure that we benefit the community. This is just one example of how we're trying to accomplish that." Bloomfield public schools director of performing and visual arts, Dr. Joseph Olzacki, together with Rabbi Philip Lazowski, of Bloomfield, created the Identity project in 2007 as a way for high school students to learn about genocide, and themselves. Its many faceted approach involves hands-on learning, such as trips to the Holocaust museum in Washington, musical interpretations, and much more. Guest speakers are sometimes asked to share their experiences as living survivors of the atrocities of the Holocaust. In that regard, the importance of passing along the facts is not lost on Robert Fishman. "There are not many survivors left, so we are emphasizing the legacy being passed on to the children - and grandchildren - of survivors, so they can continue to tell the stories. The Identity project helps to get the message out, while at the same time it is helping the kids themselves." The Hebrew term "Tikkun Olam", translated as "to repair the world" is one of the themes for this year's Identity project. Students will use the theme as they explore ways to make a difference in their own lives and in the world. To learn more about the Identity project, or JFACT, contact Robert Fishman, JFACT Executive Director, at 860-727-5701, or go to www.jfact.org ### |
