Temple Judea of Manhasset to dedicate Irving Roth Holocaust Resource Center
On Sunday, Nov. 6, Temple Judea will honor its beloved teacher and Holocaust
Center Director, survivor Irving Roth z”l, by renaming the Center in his memory.

The ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2:00 p.m. and will feature a musical
program of Holocaust remembrance by Dr. Elizabeth Glennon and remarks from Dr.
Richard Quinlan, Scholar-in-Residence, as well as memories and reflections offered by
those who were inspired by and taught by Mr. Roth.
Roth, a prolific speaker, Holocaust educator, and author, served as the director of the
Center from 1997 until his death in February 2021.

In addition to speaking to thousands of schoolchildren all over Long Island, he lectured all over the world and accompanied students on trips to Auschwitz through the March of the Living organization.

Irving developed the Adopt-a-Survivor program, a nationwide educational program in which
students meet with survivors and pledge to give their testimony to others after the survivor
is gone. He trained Second Generation (2G) Children of Survivors to share the testimony of
their parents.

In addition, he oversaw the Nita Lee Memorial Art Project, which offered opportunities for high school student artists to hear testimony and then create art that was
displayed in the Center. Irving Roth was also the recipient of many humanitarian awards for
his work teaching about the Holocaust.
Born in 1929 in Czechoslovakia, Irving lived with his parents, grandparents, and brother.
In 1942, most of the Jews of Humenne were taken away by the Nazis. Irving’s family then
moved to Hungary in 1943 where Jews were still safe.

However, two years later, at the age of 14, he was sent to Auschwitz with his brother, grandfather, grandmother, aunt, and cousin. Irving and his brother were separated from the rest of their family and later learned that they had been murdered in the gas chambers upon arrival.
Irving and his brother managed to survive Auschwitz. But, in January 1945, they were
forced to march over 500 miles on a “death march” only to be separated upon arrival in
Buchenwald.

Irving was finally liberated from Buchenwald on April 11, 1945. He returned to
Humenne to find that his parents had suffered through their own terrible times but thankfully had both survived, assisted by the kindness of a Christian woman. Sadly, his brother did not survive.
Irving and his family immigrated to the United States in 1951. He earned a degree in
electrical engineering then married and raised two sons in Williston Park.

Temple Judea’s Holocaust Resource Center was established in 1994 by a group of
congregants who wanted to honor family members who were Holocaust survivors. The
mission of the center is to educate young and old on the evils of prejudice, teach the
lessons of the Holocaust, and combat ignorance, hatred, and violence.

The Center’s
teachings about the dangers of anti-Semitism have become even more relevant today.
For more information about the event, to learn more about Irving Roth, or to schedule a tour of the Irving Roth Holocaust Resource Center, please contact Lauren Resnikoff, director at(516) 621-8049. Temple Judea is located at 333 Searingtown Road in Manhasset at exit 36 off of the LIE.
https://www.temple-judea.com/holocaust-cente