What Do We Have but if Not Each Other?

For Croton-Harmon High School sophomore Iree Jiang, that question became the guiding theme of a poem and painting inspired by the story of Sam and Faye Peltz, two Holocaust survivors whose lives were shaped by unimaginable loss and extraordinary resilience.

Through the Living History Project, a program offered by the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center, Iree spent several months interviewing Helene Wurtzel, the daughter of Sam and Faye Peltz, Polish Jews who survived the Holocaust and rebuilt their lives in the United States.

What began as an opportunity shared with students in Croton-Harmon High School’s Humanities Concentration soon became a deeply personal journey. Encouraged by CHHS Assistant Principal Erica Fiorini and the opportunities made available through the Humanities Concentration, Iree chose to pursue a project that aligned with her longstanding interest in justice, advocacy, and the power of personal stories.

“I’m most interested in the humanities, especially justice and advocating for people,” Iree said. “I thought this was a great opportunity to do that in real life, with real impacts.”

Over the course of multiple interviews beginning in December, Iree listened as Helene recounted her parents’ extraordinary journeys. Sam Peltz survived by hiding in a barn and later in the woods, while Faye Peltz and her mother endured a Soviet labor camp in Siberia, where harsh conditions claimed the lives of Faye’s younger sister and her father. After the war, both families spent time in displaced persons camps before eventually immigrating to the United States, where Sam and Faye met, married, and built a life together.

For Iree, hearing the story firsthand transformed history from something she had studied into something profoundly human.

“Hearing her story from a real person made what we learn about justice and injustice more real and relevant to me,” she said. “It made me look at my life in a more reflective, meaningful way.”

Among the lessons that struck a deep chord was Helene’s reflection that her parents emerged from their experiences with a lasting belief in the importance of hope, connection, and finding moments of joy.

“That was really meaningful to me and resonated on a personal level,” Iree said.

To honor that legacy, Iree created a slideshow presentation, an original poem, and a painting of Sam and Faye. Her presentation traced the couple’s lives from their childhoods in Poland to their survival, liberation, immigration, and future together. In her poem, What Do We Have but if Not Each Other?, Iree returned to a central refrain that reflected the strength people find in love, hope, and caring for one another.

“I wanted to create something that represented what Sam and Faye had to go through and the resilience they found in each other, believing in goodness, joy, and caring for one another,” she said.

On an evening in late April, eight students from seven schools gathered at the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center to share the stories they had documented through the Living History Project. Held on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), the event carried added significance as students honored the experiences and legacies of Holocaust survivors and their families. Each student presented a slideshow and a creative work inspired by their survivor’s journey. 

“As a concentration student, Iree has made it her goal to seek out impactful experiences beyond her comfort zone, and her Living History Project was an exceptional example of this drive,” said Ms. Fiorini. “I was incredibly proud of her as she presented her extensive research and creative project to a room full of unfamiliar faces. Even though she was one of the last students to present, she captivated the audience with her depth of knowledge and sincerity.”

For Iree, presenting her work publicly was both an honor and an act of courage. The experience pushed her beyond her comfort zone and showed her how storytelling can serve as a form of activism, preserving history while helping others understand the human impact of injustice.

“This was a very meaningful experience for me,” Iree said. “It developed me intellectually and connected me more closely to my passions in activism and justice.”

Reflecting on the experience, Iree said the project reinforced her belief in the power of storytelling and the importance of approaching challenges with hope and intention.

“What I took away from sharing Helene’s story was the impact that you can have when you care to tell a story and others are willing to listen,” she said.

Iree said the message that joy can be a form of resistance, along with the experience of taking a meaningful project from idea to presentation, are lessons she will carry forward as she continues to pursue opportunities to make a difference.