Peperzak: 'Respect your fellow humans'
Lee Hughes Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 10 months AGO
<p>By her helping hands, and in conjunction with the Dutch Underground, Carla Peperzak helped hide some 40 Dutch Jews from the hands of the Nazis during World War II, as well as forging identification and other documents for them and many others. “Respect your fellow humans,” she told Forrest M. Bird students Tuesday. (Photo by LEE HUGHES)</p>
SANDPOINT — It took her 35 years to be slowly drawn back to the religion she turned her back upon after the war.
“I wanted nothing much to do with Judaism,” Carla Peperzak, who helped hide Dutch Jews in the Netherlands during World War II, told a hot room packed with students and a few faculty at the Forrest M. Bird Charter School Tuesday.
So much so she married out of the religion of her birth after the war. Some might see it as an odd reaction considering that Peperzak’s contribution to the war effort was to work with the Dutch resistance to help hide Jews.
Born in 1926 and raised the daughter of a Jewish women’s clothing manufacturer in Amsterdam, Peperzak described her upbringing with her sister as a “good” childhood. The public school she attended was about 30 percent Jewish. She was a member of a mostly Jewish rowing club.
“Life was quite nice,” she said in an accented voice.
For the rest of the story, see the print edition of the Bonner County Daily Bee or subscribe to our e-edition.
MORE IMPORTED STORIES
Holocaust survivor, hero shares story with students
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 5 years, 4 months ago
ARTICLES BY LEE HUGHES STAFF WRITER
Spring to give first glimpse of Common Core test results
SANDPOINT — Asked about the new Idaho Common Core testing standards, and Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Shawn Woodward will tell you the shift is a “good thing.” It puts more emphasis on evidence-based writing, citing primary sources, and applied mathematics. The change won’t come without some potential growing pains, however.
YMCA takes small step closer to reality
SANDPOINT — It’s not in town, at least not yet. It’s really not much more than a dream at this stage. But the possibility of a YMCA community recreation facility finding its way to Bonner County recently got one small step closer to reality.
Practice makes perfect: Sagle students prepare for emergencies
Drill helps school put safety lessons to the test
SAGLE — Faculty and students of Sagle Elementary participated in drills Friday, practice for a real emergency.