In an atmosphere both emotional and celebratory, more than 350 people gathered at the Coral Casino Four Seasons Biltmore to pay tribute to Chancellor Henry T. Yang and Mara Vishniac Kohn for their contributions to the creation of Portraits of Survival, which portrays the journeys of 40 community members who are survivors and refugees from Nazi Germany.

The crowd represented a diverse spectrum of the Santa Barbara community, including educators from local schools, professors and supporters of the University of California, Santa Barbara, local survivors and their families, local clergy, and Federation supporters and friends.

A highlight of the presentations was the short film “Portraits of Survival,” made by Kwame Braun and Janet Walker, professors of film studies at UCSB and their students. The film features clips from the six documentary shorts about Portraits participants that will be shown at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in January 2006. an inspiring collection of short documentaries depicting the journeys of local Holocaust survivors, followed by Q & A.

Guest speaker Deborah Lipstadt, professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Emory University, expounded on her book "History on Trial," which details her 2000 libel trial in London against a Holocaust denier. Lipstadt's talk analyzed the major issues involved in her lawsuit in London and linked them to the rise of the "new anti-Semitism."

Other speakers included Bill Locker, Mara Kohn, Juliane Heyman, Chancellor Yang, Janet Walker, Mike Nissenson, and Brian and Anne Sarvis.

Table centerpieces took on a new look this year, with bundles of books to be donated to local schools. The books were made possible through the generosity of Viola Girsh, Daniel Hochman and Ruelene Hochman, and teach about bullying, diversity, and acceptance, in keeping with the Federation mission. Through the generosity of the attendees, Federation is also sending the centerpiece bundles of school supplies to children in the Gulf States affected by the recent hurricanes.

Federation received proclamations from Mayor Marty Blum, Congresswoman Lois Capps, Assemblyman Pedro Nava and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Click here for more information about Portraits of Survival.

To see more pictures of this event, hit this link to go to the photographer John Ellis' Web site:
http://www.jellyphotography.com/1%20jcc%20sept%202005/index.html

If you would like to order prints for yourself, contact John at Jelly Photography 805.637.4776 or john@jellyphotography.com,  http://www.jellyphotography.com