08/20/2025
Remembering Anne Frank β now more than ever
Written by Donna Perryman, CEO
While planning a trip to Amsterdam, my husband and I made a point to reserve time to visit the Anne Frank House. In a time when we are seeing antisemitism on the rise, the writings and experiences of this young girl and her family are more important than ever. Walking through the house where her family hid for over two years is an unforgettable experience. As we stepped inside the secret annex where Anne Frank and her family hid from N**i persecution, the past felt hauntingly present. The creaking wooden floors and narrow stairway displayed a world of courage for those who hid and those who helped to shelter the family. To be that brave.
Current Trustee and former Menorah Life Board Chair, Howard Miller, also visited the Anne Frank House in April with his wife, Nancy, and reflected βVisiting the Anne Frank House at 8:30 on a Friday night, we were struck by the size of the crowd of every nationality. The story is well known, yet to witness it firsthand you sense the enormity of the family's trauma, the sacrifice of those who hid them and the cruelty of it all. Right on a busy thoroughfare overlooking a scenic canal. The dichotomy is sobering.β
As we well know, antisemitism did not end with the Holocaust. Sadly, it remains a pervasive, growing issue. Being a bystander is not an option in the face of this hatred. What if more people had resisted the rising hatred rather than standing silently by? Combatting these problems requires a collective effort through community involvement and policy advocacy. Iβm proud of my 23 years with Menorah Life and the important role we play in caring and advocating for our community.