by George J Elbaum

This office prosecutes federal crimes committed in the Western District of Washington state.  Every month the office organizes a special emphasis program which usually ties in with that month’s racial, cultural, gender, or other emphasis or event.  This month the program focuses on Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Jehiel Baer, Assistant United States Attorney, was part of a team organizing this month’s presentation.  The presentation’s goal is for the attendees to hear a Holocaust survivor describe his/her personal experiences as related to the Holocaust, which is why I was invited to tell my story by Julia Thompson, Education Program Manager of the Holocaust Center of Humanity.  A second goal was for the audience to get a current perspective on antisemitism and hate crimes in the District and the state, and this was presented by Mimi Cypers,  Director for Pacific Northwest Region of Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

The attendees of this month’s presentation were approximately 40 members of the Office staff including Assistant United States Attorney Jonas Lerman and Victim Witness Coordinator Tracy Orcuff.