Holocaust Survivor Miriam Schwarcz says, "It's a story I can never forget. It's like it happened yesterday."
It's been 70 years since shewas liberated from a Nazi concentration camp near the German border. She says she was rescued by an American soldier who spoke Yiddish.
"After all we went through. Here is an American soldier who speaks Yiddish. I mean it was unbelievable," Schwarcz says.
She and more than a dozen Holocaust Survivors who live on Staten Island were honored Sunday with their family and friends at the 5th annual Café Europa event. It was held at the JCC.
"They are still here with us to tell their story. We want to make them feel good that we are listening to them, says organizer Rachel Borenstein.
Alan Steinberg, a Holocaust Survivor was proud to show his ID card because he says that's what saved his life. The 95 year-old says while he was in a concentration camp, a Nazi soldier didn't kill him because he had the same last name.
"He asked me what's your name. I said my name is Steinberg. He said like this. Oh my God," said Steinberg.
The survivors have shared their experiences with hundreds of students here on Staten Island. They say its important their stories are not forgotten.
Lori Weintrob is the director of the Holocaust Education Program at Wagner College. She and her students shared the survivor's stories. The focus was liberation.
"These are all stories of courage and resilience. This is the legacy of the Holocaust community," says Weinstrob.
"I want to show the people that something good happened," added Schwarcz.