88-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor Graduates — 71 Years After Nazis Denied Her
(JTA) — A Holocaust survivor in Plymouth, Minnesota received her high school diploma 71 years after she was denied the opportunity by the Nazis.
Esther Begam, 88, donned a blue cap and gown earlier this month and received her diploma surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, as well as the Wayzata High School class of 2017, the local NBC affiliate KARE reported.
Begam’s entire family was killed during the Holocaust. From the age of 11, she lived in a ghetto in Poland and then worked in a forced labor camp. At the age of 17 she married a fellow survivor and moved to Minnesota, according to KARE.
Seven years ago, Begam spoke at the high school about her war-time experiences and when asked what was her biggest regret she answered that it was never receiving a high school diploma.
Teacher Candice Ledman approached the school administration about awarding Begam an honorary degree. She was denied, but this year when a new principal, Scott Gengler, took over, he immediately agreed, according to KARE.
Begam was presented with a diploma and a graduation cake; she threw her mortarboard in the air after being awarded her diploma.
Her grandson Lenny Segal, in a speech at the graduation, called on the students to share Begam’s story, “so we can make sure this doesn’t happen again,” according to KARE.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
