Touro Marks Holocaust Remembrance With Survivor Testimony
On January 28, Touro University hosted a special community program “2026 International Holocaust Remembrance Day: A Survivor’s Shout,” centered on survivor Dorothea Szczesniak.
Moderated by Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust, the event was introduced by Dean Robert Goldschmidt. “Touro’s mission is to perpetuate Jewish heritage and serve society,” he said. “Given the tenor of our times, events like these are essential.”
Then Dorothea Szczesniak began to speak.
The 96-year-old always begins her story the same way. “I am standing before you by the grace of G-d,” she said. “I owe it to my murdered parents.”
Born in Germany in 1929, Szczesniak lived in Berlin with her parents and younger sister. “I went to a Jewish school and wore a yellow star,” she said. “I remember the Hitler Youth chasing us through the streets.”
One moment of exclusion stands out: Szczesniak’s father took her and her sister to skate at a local pond, only to be greeted by a sign forbidding entrance to Jews.
Recognizing the unsustainability of life in Germany, Szczesniak’s father traveled ahead to Brussels, then sent a message for his wife and daughters to follow. “The three of us spent months trying to slip into Belgium,” recalls Szczesniak. “We were repeatedly caught and sent back. We were sleeping in the woods.”
Eventually they succeeded, living freely in Belgium until the Nazis invaded in 1940. “We moved between hiding places, trying to stay ahead of the Gestapo,” said Szczesniak. “There were close calls.”
At one point, a kind woman hid the family on her farm—until the morning two men entered the girls’ room speaking German.
“I pretended not to understand them,” said Szczesniak. “The woman hiding us came in behind them and said, ‘These are my grandchildren—I watch them while their mother works. And they are late to school! Go!’ she said, gesturing toward us. We took our satchels from the floor and left.”
On their way downstairs, the girls wordlessly passed their parents. They never saw them again. (Szczesniak later learned her parents were sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where both perished.)
Various people took in Szczesniak and her sister, though they were not together. “I stayed with a family and assumed the identity of their dead daughter,” Szczesniak said. “A rope was kept in the bathroom for emergencies. When the time came, I swung onto a neighboring roof.”
Following liberation, Szczesniak married a Ukrainian refugee and emigrated to the U.S. The couple had a son and a daughter, and Szczesniak found places to pursue her passions: singing and music.
“I’ve not stopped singing,” she says. And she still shares her story. “I’ve spoken to thousands of students. I tell them, ‘Hug and kiss your parents. I would have given anything to have had my mother at your age.’”
Today, Szczesniak still wears a Star of David—though she hides it under her clothes when she’s out. “I should not have to do that,” she said.
Still, she considers herself blessed. “After saying Shema each morning, I thank G-d for another day,” she says.
{Touro College of Pharmacy Achieves Record-Breaking NAPLEX Pass Rate
{IMG Touro College of Pharmacy Achieves Record-Breaking NAPLEX Pass Rate
{Caption Touro College of Pharmacy students
Touro College of Pharmacy (TCOP) has achieved its highest-ever North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) first-time pass rate, with 93% of graduates successfully passing on their initial attempt. This historic achievement places TCOP first among all New York City pharmacy schools, second in New York State, and significantly above both state and national averages.
The outstanding results position TCOP in the top 25% of pharmacy schools nationwide, ranking 31st out of 142 accredited pharmacy institutions across the country. This milestone represents the best performance in the school’s history.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the extraordinary hard work and dedication of our students, supported by the collaborative efforts of our faculty and staff,” said Henry Cohen, Pharm.D., M.S., FCCM, Dean of Touro College of Pharmacy. “These results confirm the efficacy of our student-focused approach to learning and student success.”
Dr. Alan Kadish, President of Touro University, praised the achievement: “This record-breaking NAPLEX performance exemplifies the excellence we strive for across all Touro institutions. Our pharmacy graduates are now among the best-prepared pharmacists in the nation, ready to serve their communities with the highest level of professional competence.”
The NAPLEX is a critical examination that pharmacy graduates must pass to obtain licensure and practice as pharmacists. TCOP’s exceptional performance reflects the institution’s commitment to preparing the next generation of pharmacists for professional success.
