‘Remembrance is an act of moral courage’: Holocaust memorial sign dedicated in Northbrook

Two days before International Holocaust Remembrance Day, members of the Jewish community gathered Sunday to dedicate a sign committed to preserving the memory of survivors.

The sign stands in downtown Northbrook, with a message that reads “Some stories are obscured, see what they endured.” It features a QR code that redirects to a link for the Chicago Jewish Alliance’s “Never Forget” archive, a partnership with the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center that highlights a different survivor’s journey each day.

One of those survivors shared his story Sunday.

Sami Steigmann and his parents were interned in a labor camp from 1941 to 1944. Though he was too young to have any memories of the events there, he was subjected to Nazi medical experimentation that has caused him a lifetime of pain.

Steigmann, who lives in New York, now serves as a Holocaust educator and motivational speaker. He said Jews have been persecuted throughout history, not just during the Holocaust.

“We prevailed, we survived,” he said. “We are here to stay whether you like it or not.”

Steigmann urged everyone in attendance to “be proud of who you are” when antisemitism is on the rise.

“I was always an optimist. I will die an optimist,” he said. “I know that things will get worse before they will get better. But do not lose hope. They will get better.”

The dedication of the sign, which is in downtown Northbrook at Shermer Road and Walters Avenue, was moved inside to the Northbrook Public Library because of the weather.

Daniel Schwartz, president of the Chicago Jewish Alliance, said “memory matters” when talking about the memorial.

“This memorial is not only a marker of history, but a commitment to truth, education and responsibility,” he said. “At a time when antisemitism is rising and historical truth is being challenged, remembrance is an act of moral courage.”