Work Hard Wednesday: Junior Sasha Chernoff Participates in the Witness Project

by Talia Herbst, SSLI '25

Editor's Note: For today’s article, PPN writer Talia Herbst interviewed junior Sasha Chernoff on the Witness Project and her experience participating in the program so far.

Talia Herbst [TH]: Why did you decide to join the Witness Project?

Sasha Chernoff [SC]: I decided to join the Witness Project because a really close friend did it, and I thought it was super interesting. I think it’s really important to hear Holocaust survivors' stories, know what happened to them, and make sure that it never happens again. It is also really important that I share his [Arnie's] stories with everyone. We are the last generation that is able to hear Holocaust survivors’ stories firsthand, and we need to take advantage of that.

TH: Where do your meetings take place, and how often do you meet?

SC: The meetings take place at the JCC (Jewish Community Center) in Roslyn, and we meet two Thursdays a month.

The Chernoffs had Arnie and his wife over for Shabbat dinner and even had some other Schechter students join them. (S. Chernoff)

TH: What do you do at the meetings?

SC: When the program first started, everyone was split into groups, and there are about ten kids and one Holocaust survivor per group. We would meet with our group, and each Holocaust survivor would share their story, starting from the beginning. After a few meetings, we learned so much about our Holocaust survivors, and we started doing different things at meetings. Once, an Israeli who survived the October 7 attack and was at the Nova Festival came to speak to us. Other times, we will get a historical presentation about the Holocaust. We also had a Hanukkah party, and we learned the stories of all the survivors, not just our own. In the past few meetings, we have worked on our art work because it is due in two days.

TH: Can you explain a bit about the final project that you have to work on?

SC: For the final project, I have to pick a part of my Holocaust survivor’s story and make an art piece out of it. I am a visual art student, though, and there are also storytelling students. The storytellers share their Holocaust survivor’s story through a performance.

TH: Why is the Witness Project important to you?

SC: The Witness Project is so important to me because being Jewish is a really important part of my life, and remembering the Holocaust is really important. After hearing from my Holocaust survivor, I got to understand his experiences and how terrible they were for him. I really developed a strong connection with him, and I want him to know that his story is important and needs to be shared.

TH: What is your one takeaway that you have gained from this experience so far?

SC: I learned that the Holocaust can affect people in different ways, and it is important to let a Holocaust survivor know that you truly want to hear their story. I also learned so many new things about the Holocaust that I never knew.

TH: Would you recommend the Witness Project to other students? What about it would make you recommend it?

SC: Definitely. I’m so glad I joined the Witness Project. I would recommend it because it’s so important. You make an amazing connection with your Holocaust survivor, and you get to learn more about their history and the Jewish people's history.

TH: Anything else you would like to add?

SC: The Witness Project is a great program, and I’m really glad that I joined it.

Talia Herbst is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since December 2021. Talia is currently a junior at the Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: therbst25@schechterli.org.