As the generation of firsthand Holocaust survivors grows smaller, educators are searching for meaningful ways to ensure their stories endure. While many children and grandchildren of survivors have stepped forward to carry the torch, teachers continue to grapple with a pressing question: how do you present such painful history in a way that truly resonates with young people?
In Broward County, two local creatives believe the answer lies in music.
Musician Jeff Jacob teamed up with visual artist and educator Ali Shrago-Spechler, director of The George Gottlieb Institute at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie, to launch a powerful new initiative. Through the Institute’s Testimony to Teach program, they invited history students from Cooper City High School and Everglades High School to transform Holocaust survivor testimonies into an original song.
The project, titled “You Can Be a Candle,” blends storytelling, songwriting and live performance into a single immersive experience.
“What better way to internalize history than by creating something from it?” Shrago-Spechler said. “Music allows students to connect emotionally and intellectually. They listen, they write, they sing — and through that process, they become active witnesses.”
The students first participated in two sessions where they listened to testimony from first-, second-, and third-generation survivors. They then gathered at the David Posnack JCC for a live collaborative songwriting event staged like an intimate acoustic concert. Jacob created a relaxed, performance-style setting to inspire creativity and reflection.
Drawing from what they had learned, students worked alongside first-generation survivor Ivan Gluck to craft verses rooted in his lived experiences. The lyrics reflect fear, resilience and hope, with lines that evoke the uncertainty and solidarity that sustained many during the Holocaust.
Once the song was written, students recorded their vocals in a mobile studio set up on site. Local musicians and community members joined in to complete the production, turning the classroom exercise into a fully realized recording.
“For me, it was about giving students a memory they’ll carry with them,” Jacob said. “When you create something yourself, it stays with you differently. Maybe one day, if they see injustice or hatred, they’ll remember this moment and speak up.”
From Film to Song
The Testimony to Teach program began two years ago with students producing a short film inspired by survivor stories. While impactful, Shrago-Spechler felt some participants remained emotionally distant from the material.
“When you’re teaching difficult history, students sometimes instinctively protect themselves,” she explained. “It can be hard for them to stay fully engaged.”
She found that music offered a more accessible entry point. Unlike visual art, where students may doubt their skills, songwriting invites everyone to participate.
“You don’t have to consider yourself artistic to contribute a lyric or rhythm,” she said. “Music feels open to everyone.”
Jacob wrote the song’s chorus in advance to guide the session, then performed it with a band that included community musicians and nonprofit partners. The finished track will be released on major streaming platforms in conjunction with Yom HaShoah in April. A short music video and a longer behind-the-scenes documentary are also in development, capturing both the creative process and student reflections.
For Shrago-Spechler, the energy in the room after the recording wrapped was unforgettable.
“You could feel that something meaningful had happened,” she said. “This is why this work matters — because it empowers students to carry these stories forward and stand against hate.”
The initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen Holocaust education in Broward County. Upcoming programming includes a May event featuring culinary historian Michael Twitty, author of “Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew,” exploring Jewish identity and cultural memory through food.
“We may not be able to solve antisemitism everywhere,” Shrago-Spechler said, “but we can make a difference here. If students leave these programs with empathy, awareness and courage, that’s a powerful start.”
