July 28, 2024 - Ben Lesser is an author, public speaker and a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor. He has dedicated his days and nights to encouraging universal remembrance for generations to come. There are few people that can be considered a human miracle, but Ben is one of them. Out of his immediate family of seven, Ben and his sister Lola were the only survivors of the Holocaust. He endured four concentration camps, two death marches, and two death trains. Ben spent five years in a living hell, as well as losing the majority of his family. As a testament to his strength and spirit, Ben dedicated his life to one main mission: educate, prevent and prevail.
1995 is when his labor of love commenced. He would go on to pen a biography entitled, "Living a Life That Matters: From Nazi Nightmare to American Dream", and said book highlights his liberation and the aftermath of the Holocaust. 2009 was the establishment of the Zachor Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, which encourages today's youth to continue to share the stories of survival long after survivors are gone. Ben began to travel all around the world to stand in front of students, business professionals, synagogues, and churches to tell his story. After speaking, Ben provided all with a tangible reminder of what they have heard and learned – a golden pin with the Hebrew letters of the word "ZACHOR." He would further display his dedication to education by developing the Zachor Holocaust Curriculum. This is an interactive teaching tool that offers turn-key lesson plans, videos, photography and personal anecdotes. To combat against hatred, Lesser created the I-SHOUT-OUT project, whose main goal is to garner six million SHOUT-OUTS to speak for the six million who were silenced during the Holocaust. Lastly, due to the current condition of our country, Ben made the choice to shoot a PSA speaking out against antisemitism, which he hopes will reach six million homes.
For more information on Ben and the Foundation, please visit: Non-Profit Holocaust Survivors Foundation (zachorfoundation.org).