Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo’s joint Chabad will host Holocaust survivor Sora Vigorito, 84, at the Performing Arts Center tomorrow evening. Vigorito will speak at the 2-hour event about being the youngest known survivor of Dr. Josef Mengele’s twin experiments, according to the event flier.
Mengele, a Nazi doctor, is known as the “Angel of Death” for his fatal experiments on Jewish twins, according to the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Sinti and Roma. Vigorito lost her twin sister, older sister and mother during the Holocaust, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Chabad Cal Poly vice president and microbiology junior Benjamin Broudy views this presentation as an enriching experience which allows the audience to empathize with the Jewish community.
“When you read about the Holocaust in a textbook, it doesn’t convey the same message as someone saying, ‘Look, this is what happened to me personally,’” Broudy said.
Broudy said this is especially important since this is the “last generation” to hear from Holocaust survivors.
“Many Jewish students here have been able to meet Holocaust survivors in their synagogues or Jewish communities back at home, but many non-Jewish people haven’t been able to experience that before,” Broudy said.
Wednesday’s event will continue the club’s annual tradition of inviting a Holocaust survivor to share their story on campus.
READ MORE: “What Holocaust?”: Survivor Goldie Jacoby shared her story at Cal Poly
Cal Poly students can get tickets for free on the PAC website. Prices for community members range from $19-25.