.png?command_1=resize&width_1=400)
.png?command_1=resize&width_1=400)
.png?command_1=resize&width_1=400)
.png?command_1=resize&width_1=400)
Beverly Hills, CA (February 4, 2026) – In a landmark moment for Beverly Hills High School, students filled the newly completed K.L. Peters Auditorium for the first time as an entire school community, gathering to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day through an unforgettable experience of living history.
The event brought together Holocaust survivors and scholars whose personal stories gave students the rare opportunity to learn directly from primary sources. With survivor testimony becoming increasingly rare, BHHS seized the moment to ensure students could hear firsthand accounts of survival, resilience, and the consequences of hatred.
On January 27, the district honored International Holocaust Remembrance Day by welcoming these speakers to all four BHUSD campuses. Traveling from school to school, the survivors shared their stories with students of all ages, creating a powerful, districtwide moment of remembrance, learning, and connection.
“Our students are living in a world where disinformation is widespread, and firsthand knowledge is more critical than ever,” said BHHS Principal Loan Sriruksa. “This assembly brought history to life in a way no textbook could. It challenged our students to think deeply, feel compassion, and ask questions rooted in curiosity and truth.
Students listened intently as Joseph Alexander, age 103, recounted surviving twelve concentration camps while his entire family perished. They met Eva Pearlman, whose childhood escape from Nazi terror echoed the story of Anne Frank. Susanne Reyto, an educator and representative of Violins of Hope, shared how Holocaust-era violins are being restored as vessels of memory and spirit. Abraham Yardeni, age 96 born during British rule, described a childhood marked by constant threat and fear in the years before the establishment of the State of Israel. Joseph Samuels described surviving the Farhud, a Nazi-aligned pogrom in Iraq. Scholar and moderator Shabbos Kestenbaum offered reflections on Holocaust legacy, ethics, and the dangers of forgetting.
Following the assembly, students engaged in thoughtful conversations with the guests, took photos, and thanked them personally for their courage and wisdom.
“These stories are not just memories. They are lessons that will shape how our students think, lead, and live,” said Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss. “We are grateful to the survivors for trusting our students with their truths. In moments like this, education becomes moral action.”
The Peters Auditorium now stands as a space not only for performances and presentations, but also for reflection, dialogue, and powerful learning. The January 27 assembly marked a profound first use of the space, bringing the entire student body together to witness history and commit to a future where it is never repeated.
Holocaust survivors and scholars speak to BHHS students in the newly opened K.L. Peters Auditorium on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, sharing firsthand accounts of survival, resilience, and history.
(Photo Credit: Beverly Hills Unified School District)
###
For Immediate Release
February 4, 2026
Contact: Colby Gilardian
Public Information Officer
[email protected]
(310) 871-8246 Mobile
You may also be interested in...
.png&command_2=resize&height_2=85 "Beverly Hills High School Dance Company Inspires Next Generation Through Districtwide School Tour")
.jpeg&command_2=resize&height_2=85 "Beverly Hills High Boys Basketball Stages Courageous Comeback to Defeat Highland in Palm Springs")
.png&command_2=resize&height_2=85 "BHHS Student Cleo Paul to Attend Stanford University, Majoring in Political Science")
