Holocaust survivor and civil rights activist Judy Meisel is one of only a few hundred thousand remaining Jews who escaped Hitler's persecution.
She spoke about her hardships to approximately 50 students gathered in Steinhardt Hall yesterday evening to watch Tak for Alt, a film documenting her life.
The screening was part of a series of events this week in remembrance of the 1938 Kristallnacht -- translated as "Night of Broken Glass" -- in which Nazi German youth smashed the windows of Jewish homes and businesses on the nights of Nov. 9 and 10.
"I think it is important to be aware of the Holocaust," College junior Joy Cannon said. "I think it's important to hear these stories."
Meisel, who has been living in the United States for more than 40 years, chose not to speak about the past, but rather about issues facing the Jewish community in the modern world.
"There's nothing like living here as a Jew in America," Meisel said, adding that the "most important civic duty you can do is vote."
However, she did not specify the candidate for which she would vote.
Tak for Alt -- which means "Thanks for Everything" in Danish -- was filmed by three University of Southern California students who felt compelled to document Meisel's story of survival.
The film was a mixture of black and white photographs of the Holocaust and footage of Meisel reliving her journey from her hometown of Jasvene, Lithuania, to the concentration camps in Stutthof, Poland.
Audience members were somber as they viewed the footage; hardly a single person had dry eyes by the conclusion of the film.
"In a couple of years, there won't be any survivors left, and that's why this is so important," said Engineering sophomore Andrew Schissler, who was a co-coordinator of the event.
"I was thrilled with the turnout," he added, noting that he was excited to see such a diverse audience, composed of people of all races and not limited to Penn students.
Meisel fielded audience questions, addressing difficult issues ranging from forgiving the Nazis to the current prevalence of anti-Semitism in Denmark -- the country to which she attributes her survival 60 years ago.
To escape persecution, Meisel and her sister sought refuge in Denmark, living in the home of a married couple.
The film screening and dinner discussion event was the first of a series of functions to take place this month as part of the Holocaust Awareness Project on campus.
