On February 16th, 2021, the Korczak community lost one of its greatest teachers about the Holocaust, a promoter of Janusz Korczak’s legacy and pioneer in teaching young people how to be active in creating a better world, a world full of empathy, compassion, inclusion and justice. Irving Roth was born in Kosice, Czechoslovakia, in 1929 and arrived in New York in 1947 via Auschwitz and Buchenwald. He traveled extensively all over the world, listening and talking with thousands of people, young and old, Jewish and non-Jewish. He took them on many trips to visit camps in Poland, and
participated many times in the March of the Living, an annual educational program that brings individuals from around the world to Poland and Israel. His talks were full of life and hope. Out of the ashes of the Holocaust, he taught us how to create a better world, and although during his lifetime, many horrific wars and genocides continued to take place, he never lost hope that peace and justice are possible.
We were honored to have Irving present at the Finkelstein Memorial Library in Spring Valley, New York, on August 6th, 2017, during our month-long exhibit entitled Janusz Korczak—Educational Moments, and then again in August, 2018, when he presented at the Seattle International Korczak Conference.
Irving Roth
If you are a teacher or have young people around you, reach out to them and introduce them to Irving’s Adopt a Survivor Program. Unfortunately, there are not many Holocaust survivors left in our world, but there are many other survivors of wars who need us to hear their stories in order to spur us into action. It is only through our actions that we will together create a better world.
To learn about Irving Roth:
Thank you, Irving, for your ceaseless dedication to teaching us how to effectively present lessons of the Holocaust to combat ignorance, hatred and violence. May your memory be a blessing to your family and all humanity.
For the Janus Korczak Association
Mariola Strahlberg, Founder and Executive Director
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