LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION celebrating the life and accomplishments of Helen
Sperling, renowned lecturer and Holocaust survivor

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is moved to recognize and pay tribute to
the life and accomplishments of Helen Sperling for the courage and
fortitude she displayed throughout her life; and
WHEREAS, With her tremendous pride for her heritage, and her ceaseless
work against hate and prejudice, Helen Sperling benefited the world in
immeasurable ways; and
WHEREAS, A survivor of Nazi death and prison camps, Helen Sperling
died on Thursday, December 3, 2015, at the remarkable age of 95, in
Utica, New York; and
WHEREAS, As a Jewish girl growing up in Poland, Helen Sperling's home
was invaded by the Nazis and she lost her entire family except her youn-
ger brother, and was forced to live in a ghetto and work in death camps
for years; and
WHEREAS, After being liberated from the Buchenwald death camp in April
of 1945, Helen Sperling spent three years in a hospital; while she was
recovering, her brother, who had been separated from her many years ago,
finally found her and the siblings were reunited; and
WHEREAS, Helen, then 26 years old, and her brother, along with a
fellow survivor, Leon Sperling, immigrated to the United States; Helen
and Leon married and moved to Utica, New York, where they adopted two
children; and
WHEREAS, Helen Sperling began speaking about her experiences more than
50 years ago, partly to raise awareness after her daughter was slandered
at school for being Jewish, and partly to remind people that despite the
lessons of the Holocaust, genocide has not stopped; and
WHEREAS, In 1988, Helen Sperling was invited to speak at a new reli-
gion class "Faith After the Holocaust" at Colgate University in Hamil-
ton, New York; her story captivated and moved many students and educa-
tors to tears, and subsequently, each year, became part of the
curriculum; and
WHEREAS, For many years, Helen Sperling was a guest speaker at Boys
State hosted by the American Legion; and
WHEREAS, Helen Sperling summarized her experiences with a profound and
enduring phrase, "thou shall not be a bystander"; she devoted her life
to living out this mission; at each appearance, she distributed wrist-
bands to the audience bearing that phrase; and
WHEREAS, Through her lecture series and appearances at colleges,
public schools and churches, and before many civic groups, Helen Sper-
ling made it her mission to ensure that the six million Jews killed in
the Holocaust will never be forgotten; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proud to inscribe upon its records
this memoriam for Helen Sperling, whose legacy as the conscience of the
Holocaust will long endure the passage of time; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
celebrate the life and accomplishments of Helen Sperling, renowned
lecturer and Holocaust survivor; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Helen Sperling.