Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) Announces Appointment of Joan Poulin to Board of Directors

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) of White Plains, NY has announced the appointment of Joan Poulin to its Board of Directors.

Joan Poulin is the daughter of Holocaust Survivors. As an HHREC GenerationsForward Speaker she has presented the story of how her father left Hamburg, Germany for New York in 1938, leaving his mother and brother behind. After discovering 175 letters her father kept by his bed until the day he died, she developed her presentation to tell his story and the plight of those left behind. She also shares how her experience as a child of Holocaust survivors has impacted her life and the lives of her children.

As an author she has shared her story as part of a group of local second-generation Holocaust survivors who have written and published Testaments of Courage in the Holocaust, a book documenting their families’ experiences during World War II. The book is a compilation of true stories that describes the courage and resilience of their family members who escaped the Nazis’ final solution.

Joan also facilitates the HHREC MemoryKeeper Family History Group, a resource created by HHREC to help develop and present a family’s Holocaust story. This program assists second and third generation Holocaust survivors through weekly training sessions at the HHREC library in White Plains.  Joan resides in Somers, New York.

“Once my father’s letters were translated, everything changed for me” said Poulin. “ I knew I needed to do something with them—but what? The answer came in 2017, when I met Millie Jasper and shared my dilemma. She helped me see that what I needed was to put the story together and become a speaker. Suddenly, the pieces fit. Since then, I have devoted increasing time and energy to HHREC. I look forward to expanding my role and continuing my effort to support this wonderful organization .”

“Joan has been an important contributor and participant in HHREC’s mission and work for many years – and we are delighted that she has chosen to join the Board of Directors.” said Daniel Weinreb, HHREC Board of Directors Chairperson. “We know that Joan will continue to provide her important insights and contributions through her expanded role with HHREC.”

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves schools, synagogues, colleges, churches and civic centers in Westchester and the greater Hudson Valley area. Their mission is to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect.

HHREC works with teachers and students to help schools fulfill the New York State mandate that the Holocaust and other human rights abuses be included in their curriculum. Since 1994, HHREC has brought the lessons of the Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations to more than 3,000 teachers, and through them to thousands of students. Their programs enrich teachers’ knowledge about the Holocaust and related issues and also provide the lens through which to view all other human rights violations. For more information visit www.hhrecny.org.