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News of the Week-10/20/17

by | Oct 20, 2017

“Did I do enough?” – Irena Sendler

On October 20, 1943, the Gestapo came to Irena Sendler’s apartment and took her to a jail. There they interrogated and brutally tortured her for the names of Zegota leaders, which she refused to give up. She received a sentence of death by firing squad, and stayed for weeks in prison with her legs and feet fractured from the beatings. The night before she was to be executed, a German guard, whom Zegota had bribed, helped her escape. The next day, posters went up all over the city with news that Irena had been shot. She read these posters herself. When the war was finally over, she dug up the jars and began the difficult job of finding the children and locating living relatives. Tragically, most family members had perished at Treblinka.

For the remainder of her life, she was haunted by the horrors she had witnessed, asking herself every day, “Did I do enough?”

News of the Week – 9/11/17

by | Sep 9, 2017

2018 is Irena Sendler Year in Poland as declared by the Polish Congress.

See our website, updates and new designs coming over the next month.

Our ‘Poland 2017’ journey this summer with 32 travelers was a tremendous success. Thanks to the great story of Irena Sendler and to the wonderful group traveling.  Thank you Alice, Terry, Donna, Isabella, Addi, Carrie, Cary, Eric, Alta, Amanda, Russ, Belinda, Michelle H., Dan, Jared, Norm, Jessica, Lori, Graham, Liz, Sue, Marzanna, Tina, Suzanne, Kate, Kim, Michelle S., Julie, Michelle W., Ann, Dean and Judy.

Come and see the incredible Irena Sendler exhibit at the new Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. Over 15,000 people have viewed the new exhibit.

Cathy Werling, staff member at the Lowell Milken Center, has just written a book on Ken Reinhardt. Ken is an unsung hero from the Central High School de-segregation with the Little Rock Nine. She has another book coming out next year on Irena and Megan Felt. This series of unsung heroes is for elementary age; they make perfect gifts for children and adults.

News of the Week – 7/26/17

by | Jul 26, 2017

We have returned from our first group tour of Irena Sendler sites in Poland. This is not something we will plan every year, many of you have been asking.

The group for Poland 2017 was unique and wonderful to travel with. They were a diverse group of individuals brought together for one purpose, to share the story of Irena Sendler.

You can look on our Life in a Jar Facebook page for photographs from this powerful trip.

Every year there are more and more Irena sites to visit. We went to the tree, the secret meeting place, the monument for Zegota, the street named after her, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and the apartment she lived at during the war, and much, much more.

Thanks to Antony Lishak, we visited the Warsaw Zoo and the villa at the zoo. We had a special, private tour. Irena stayed at the zoo for a very short time after her escape from Pawiak.

Members of the group also toured Auschwitz-Birkenau and Treblinka.

We had a marvelous dinner, with guests including: child survivor, Elzbieta Ficowska, Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich, leaders of Irena Sendler Schools in Poland, descendants of child survivors, translators for Irena and the head of the Irena Sendler Award for teachers.

A huge thanks goes out to Marzanna Pogorzelska and Margaret Marczewski, both who were tour guides. Margaret is a descendant of a child survivor and Marzanna is the head of Lowell Milken Center Europe and a former national Irena Sendler Award winner. She was also a Lowell Milken Center Fellow. Liz Cambers Hutton, a member of the original Life in a Jar girls, went on the trip also.

We also had down times in Warsaw and Krackow, both beautiful cities.

2018 is Irena Sendler Year in Poland, as proclaimed by the Parliament.

News of the Week – 6/6/17

by | Jun 6, 2017

Poland 2017

We are re-tracing the steps of Irena Sendler and will share with you our travels.
 
Tuesday, July 11 is the beginning of a powerful trip to Warsaw. The group of 30 people will be lead by Life in a Jar teacher and director Norm Conard. Life in a Jar student founder Liz Cambers Hutton and current Life in a Jar cast member Addi Brown will also be joining the group. This will be a once in a life time trip to visit the Irena Sendler sites and experience Warsaw in a special way.

News of the Week – 5/11/17

by | May 11, 2017

May 12th is a day of remembrance: Irena Sendler passed away on May 12, 2008.  Even though nine years have gone by since her death, her legacy is growing stronger and stronger. This story shares the power of one person to change the world. It is more important than ever before.  Holocaust education and the need to “never again” allow this kind of tragedy to happen is so significant.

Irena’s light continues shining in the darkness. We remember her wonderful, caring personality and her concern for people in this world. She was a giant of our time.

Also, Happy Birthday to Megan Felt, one of the founders of Life in a Jar, on May 12th.

News of the Week – 4/27/17

by | Apr 27, 2017

75 years ago today, Irena Sendler and her network were rescuing children and adults from the Warsaw Ghetto.

 
75 years ago today, the starvation of those in the Ghetto had reached epic proportions. 
 
75 years ago this spring, most of the rescues done by Irena Sendler and her network took place.
 
75 years ago this summer, Heinrich Himmler ordered a massive ‘resettlement’ of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto.
 
75 years ago this summer, the mass transports from the Warsaw Ghetto to the death camp of Treblinka took place.
 
75 years ago this summer, over 300,000 Jews were sent to their deaths in the Nazi extermination camps. 
 
75 years ago this summer, Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto organized the Jewish Combat Organization (ZOB), to resist and fight back.
 
75 years ago today, Irena Sendler was leading a powerful effort to rescue, showing great courage and valor. Irena had just turned 32 years of age.

News of the Week – 4/6/17

by | Apr 6, 2017

You must come and see our new Irena Sendler Exhibit at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott, Kansas. We had visitors this week from the Chicago. Their local college taught a class on Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project!! We have no idea how many times this happens across the country. The legacy of Irena Sendler goes on and on.

We salute the Pensacola, Florida Jewish Federation and Pensacola State College for hosting Life in a Jar this past week-end. The audiences were enthusiastic and have written a number of emails about this thrilling story. We thank Rick and Susie Gordon for hosting us, plus from the college, a big thank you to Kelly Ryan and Don Snowden.

Our Poland 2017 tour of Irena sites in Poland has been filled. We do have a waiting list if you are interested in putting your name on the list.

Plan your summer vacation in Fort Scott, Kansas. See our Center and Irena’s life, plus the Fort Scott National Historic Site, Gordon Parks Museum, National Cemetery #1, brick streets, Victorian Mansions and more.

News of the Week – 3/17/17

by | Mar 17, 2017

Do you have friends in or near Pensacola, FL? Life in a Jar will be performed there in a couple of weeks!

Life in a Jar will perform on April 1st, Saturday, in Pensacola, Florida.The performance will be in the auditorium at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Boulevard, Pensacola, Florida 32504. This performance is open to the community. Contact Person is Rick Gordon, jrgordonfla@yahoo.com, 687.852.3368

Life in a Jar will perform on April 1st, Saturday, in Pensacola, Florida.The performance will be in the auditorium at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Boulevard, Pensacola, Florida 32504. This performance is open to the community. Contact Person is Rick Gordon, jrgordonfla@yahoo.com, 687.852.3368

Life in a Jar will perform on April 2nd, Sunday, in Pensacola, Florida. The performance will be in the auditorium at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Boulevard, Pensacola, Florida 32504. This performance is open to the community. Time is 2:30pm. Contact Person is Rick Gordon,jrgordonfla@yahoo.com, 687.852.3368

News of the Week – 2/15/2017

by | Feb 15, 2017

One hundred and seven years ago today, Irena Sendler was born.

She changed the world and proved that one person can make a difference. 
She and her network did courageous work, seventy years ago this spring and summer.
We remember Irena and her spirit everyday but especially today. Her courage and valor shows us that we must all make a difference. It is our responsibility to make the world a better place.
We salute this incredible woman.
Our journey this summer to see the ‘Irena sites’ and much more in Poland, is almost full.
We have a couple of spots left for those interested. Trip information can be emailed to you.
Life in a Jar will be in Pensacola, Florida in April.
If you haven’t seen the new Irena Sendler exhibit at the new Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, you are missing a powerful exhibit.

News of the Week – 1/26/17

by | Jan 26, 2017

So many of you have said you would like go to Poland with Mr. C. and Megan Felt to see the Irena Sendler sites.

HERE IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY!

THIS IS A LATE START, BUT WE ONLY HAVE 40 OPENINGS! SO MANY HAVE ASKED ABOUT A TRIP LIKE THIS. WRITE US WITH QUESTIONS TODAY.

Poland 2017

July 11-19, 2017  (9 days and 8 nights)

 

ANNOUNCEMENT

BE WATCHING FOR NEW PERFORMANCES IN 2020