Holland & Knight's ten national first-place winning essayists from the 2005 Holocaust Remembrance Project joined educators from across the nation and Holocaust survivors for a visit to the nation's capital. 

The time in Washington, DC was a life-changing experience for many of the students, teachers, survivors and others who shared time with the group.  Friendships were forged, tears were shed, and life-long memories were birthed.

Students, teachers, and Holocaust survivors at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum in Washington, D.C.

Shown below are:

• Photos and highlights from each day of the trip to Washington, D.C.
   
• Links to several newspaper articles written about this year's student winners.
   
• Comments from students, teachers, and Holocaust survivors who participated in this year's program.
   
• Poetry from two of this year's student winners who were inspired by their experiences with Holland & Knight, the survivors and the other students.

Highlights from Sunday:

The group arrived Sunday and assembled for the opening team meeting, the official start of the week.  Then, it was off to historic Georgetown for dinner.  From there the group got acquainted with one another as they toured Georgetown.

Some ventured out on an evening walk from the hotel to see the White House, Washington Monument, and several other sites before making their way back to the hotel to retire for the evening.

This year's group included seven Holocaust survivors. The survivors shared their stories with the group and spent one-on-one time with the students and teachers.	Survivor Leo Bretholz poses with a few of the students while at dinner Sunday night.
The six female student winners pose in Georgetown. The friendships among the students often extend long past their experiences in Washington, D.C.	The group at dinner in Georgetown on Sunday.

Highlights from Monday:

Holocaust survivor Leo Bretholz (author of Leap Into Darkness) shared on Monday. His emotional story of capture and escape from he Nazis over a seven year period. His testimony leaves a profound impact on the group.	On Monday the group visited several of the Smithsonians, including the newly built American Indian Museum which has a close relationship with Holland & Knight.
An American Indian Museum educator led the group on a tour of the Museum.	Students and teachers were given the choice of which Smithsonian museums to visit. This photo is from the Air & Space Museum.
Holocaust survivor Leo Bretholz and student Julia Kolchinsky. The survivors and students create unique bonds.	Holocaust survivor Alice Masters told of her miraculous survival. Her parents arranged for Alice and her sister to flee Czechoslovakia as part of the Kindertransport program. She never saw her parents again.

Highlights from Tuesday:

	On Tuesday, Holocaust survivors Halina Silber (upper left) and Peter Feigl (upper right) related their historical journeys as Holocaust survivors. The group also enjoyed a lunch at the National Press Club and heard from Frank Smyth (left), a freelance writer for News Day. The group spent the afternoon at the U.S. Capitol (lower left) and witnessed the Senate in action from their view in the gallery. Tuesday evening was spent at the Kennedy Center to see Hairspray, a musical tale of one girl's commitment to making a difference by taking a stand (lower right).

Highlights from Wednesday:

	Vivien Spitz, speaker and author of Doctors from Hell, presented her tale of the Nuremberg Trials (as the youngest court reporter to record the trials) at a Women's Initiative breakfast at Holland & Knight's Washington, DC office on Wednesday morning (top left and top right and middle left). The students participated in a Human Rights seminar that was conducted at Holland & Knight's office by Street Law (lower left and lower right). Each student left ready and eager to advocate for human rights. The teachers participated in special professional development training on effective ways to teach the lessons or the Holocaust.  Each teacher was provided with over $1,000 of Holocaust history resource materials to take back to their school.

Highlights from Thursday:

Holocaust survivor Henry Greenbaum told his incredible story of survival. The group was joined by Andy Weinstein and visited the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum for the remainder of the day.	The 11th annual awards dinner was held on Thursday evening. More than 300 clients and friends of the firm attended this remarkable event!
Chad & Paula Tiedemann generously underwrote the $3000 Righteous Among the Nations scholarship. Alex Cannon, recipient of the Righteous Among the Nations Scholarship, is shown here with his family.	Noah DeBonis and his parents are pictured here with Holland & Knight Partner Martha Barnett (left) and Janet Studley (right). Noah received the inaugural $2000 Chesterfield Smith Humanitarian Scholarship for his outstanding work for indigent children in Viet Nam, Afghanistan, and Japan.
Bob and Linda Chasnow and family generously underwrote the top scholarship, the $5,000 Herman Chasnow Memorial Scholarship. The Chasnows are shown here with Courtney Sender, the recipient of the Herman Chasnow Memorial Scholarship, and her father.	Survivor David Silber and Jennifer Kohanim light one of 11 candles as art of a special ceremony and moment of silence in memory of the 11 million victims of the Holocaust.
Washington, DC Mayor Anthony Williams attended the Thursday evening event and poses here with several of the students.	Washington, DC Mayor Anthony Williams
This year's 10 first-place essaysits.	Once again, William S. Sessions served as Master of Ceremonies for the awards dinner in Washington, D.C.
More than 300 people attended the July 28, 2005 awards dinner in Washington, D.C.	Student Julia Kolchinsky and Holocaust survivor Leo Bretholz light one of 11 candles in memory of the 11 million who perished.
Veteran reporter and commentator Daniel Schorr provided the keynote address at the July 28, 2005 dinner.	Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation President Andrew Weinstein presents Courtney Sender with the top prize, the Herman Chasnow Memorial Scholarship.

Highlights from Friday:

	Andy Weinstein shows documentation of his family's struggles and escape from Nazi Germany (upper left). As in every previous year, each participant took his/her turn to share reflections of the week.  Courtney Sender said it most profoundly at the end of her essay, "Now I cry."

Selected Articles featuring this year's program:

	Click here to view an August 3, 2005 article in the Potomac Almanac about the Holocaust Remembrance Project and Julia Kolchinsky, a student winner from Maryland.
Click here to view an August 10, 2005 article in the Times of Northport about the Holocaust Remembrance Project and Tania Khatibifar, student winner from East Northport, New York.
	Click here to view a June 26, 2005 article in the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette about the Holocaust Remembrance Project and Megan McCoy and Theresa Seaman, student and teacher from Pickerington, Ohio.
	Click here to view an August 12, 2005 article in the Washington Jewish Week about the Holocaust Remembrance Project and Julia Kolchinsky.

Comments from Students, Teachers and Survivors:

Click here for comments from
students, teachers, and survivors
who participated in this year's trip.

POETRY - click below to read poems written by this year's students
	Read poems written by Julia Kolchinsky upon reflecting on her experiences with the Holocaust Remembrance Project.
	Read poems written by Lauren Smith upon reflecting on her experiences with the Holocaust Remembrance Project.

More information on the Holocaust Remembrance Project can be found on our Web site at http://holocaust.hklaw.com !!