Last month, the MDYHS Names Not Numbers group visited the newly opened Anne Frank exhibit in the Center of Jewish History, with Program Directors Rabbi Elinatan Bitton and Mrs. Bruchie Weinstein. The beautifully curated audio-led tour was an eye opener for all these students, who were preparing to film and interview Holocaust survivors themselves through the NNN program. Their goal is to gain knowledge and to relate what they learned to their own survivors’ experiences and stories.
The exhibition initially established the backstory for the Frank family and introduced general information about the Holocaust. It then allowed those visiting to experience the Frank family’s struggle to keep safe and to protect themselves and others as they finally went into hiding. Visitors followed the Frank family after they were caught, deported, and the terrible aftermath that ensued.
Students were able to see a perfect reproduction of the “annex,” the attic rooms where the Franks, the Van Pels, and Mr. Pfeffer lived in hiding, as well as the bookcase concealing the entrance to the annex, and the steps leading up to it. All this, coupled with original artifacts (board game, clothing) that were brought from Amsterdam, made the students feel as if they were actually there, in the very rooms where Anne lived, loved, dreamed, hung her movie star pictures (they are there on her wall), and wrote what would become her legacy to them and to the world -her diary.
Shomrim Helps Nab Package Thief Driving Stolen Van Loaded with Stolen Goods
A package thief was arrested last month, thanks to the swift response of Flatbush Shomrim. A homeowner in the vicinity of Avenue S and East 8th Street witnessed his package being stolen in real-time via his Ring camera and immediately alerted Shomrim.
Shomrim volunteers quickly mobilized and tracked down the suspect, who was driving a van loaded with stolen packages. The NYPD later discovered that the thief had been tailing Amazon and UPS trucks, snatching deliveries moments after they were dropped off. Upon apprehension at Ocean Avenue and Avenue T, police also found a significant quantity of Fentanyl and crack cocaine in the suspect’s possession.
Further investigation revealed that the vehicle itself had been stolen, and the license plates had been taken from another car. The suspect is now in police custody, facing multiple charges related to theft, drug possession, and vehicle-related offenses.
Flatbush Shomrim urges residents to remain vigilant and to report suspicious activity to prevent such crimes from occurring in the community.
Flatbush Shomrim can be reached at their 24-Hour Hotline – 718 338 9797 or via email: info@flatbushshomrim.org.