We Remember: Songs of Survivors is a celebration of the lives of Hudson Valley Holocaust survivors… the wisdom they bring to our society… and the acknowledgement of a cathartic healing process where they turn their inner most personal stories into inspirational songs embracing their resilience and pride in surviving and living.
Now available on Amazon Prime, iTunes, and PBS Passport!
“Honoring Holocaust survivors by blending music and film - a unique approach to sharing such emotional and dramatic stories. Many moments brought me to tears. At a time like this, a documentary this poignant and important needs to be made and seen!”
Nancy Spielberg,
Executive Producer, Who Will Write Our History
Our Story
Many documentaries exist about the Holocaust. Not only because of its unfathomable atrocity, but also because the generation who lived it and Jews throughout the world to this day ask us to “never forget.”
We Remember: Songs of Survivors” is a celebration of the lives of Hudson Valley Holocaust survivors… the wisdom they bring to our society… and the acknowledgement of a cathartic healing process where they turn their inner most personal stories into inspirational songs embracing their resilience and pride in surviving and living.
Taking a unique storytelling approach, this documentary pairs four Holocaust survivors with talented local songwriters who spend months forming unique bonds to create songs that are at the very heart of their survivor’s experiences.
Our story begins in elders’ homes as songwriters arrive for the first time with the hopes of getting to know their survivor’s story. Our cameras capture the evolution of these unique relationships. Along the way, songwriters create personal video diaries reflecting on the progress they’re making with their elders. Extended in-depth interviews and the sharing of rare personal video and photo archives lead to revealing, sometimes even shocking survivor stories. Songwriters also confront obstacles throughout the process, with a tragic turn for one survivor. However ultimately, the elders embrace their songwriters, and their hearts open up to the honor being bestowed upon them though music.
Then in a long-anticipated and highly emotional, live concert, the elders and the songwriters are celebrated by family, friends and the community.
The film is based on a collaborative project between SageArts and Jewish Family Service of Orange County, New York, that works with artists in the community to launch initiatives that are designed to bring the wisdom of elders into the light through the arts.
Holocaust Survivors/Songwriters
Tibor Spitz
Tibor Spitz was born in Slovakia in a small village in 1929. At ten years old, he was kicked out of school and had to wear a yellow star. Two years later, deportations started; Jewish children were isolated. His father was a clergy exclusively in charge of Jewish burials; Tibor and his brother were busy digging graves. There, they survived until 1944, when the Germans took over Slovakia. The family ran to the forest and hid in a hole in the snow; they miraculously survived 200 days. Later, Tibor became a Ph. D. Engineer specializing in glass. He was sent to Cuba as a glass expert, and then went to Canada and ultimately the U.S. Tibor married in 1967. After working 44 years as a glass scientist in technologies, Tibor became a prolific artist displaying his work in many exhibits.
Tibor Spitz with Kelleigh McKenzie
Freide Gorewitz
Freide Gorewitz, nee Heller, was born in Romania. At four and a half, she fled to Belgium with her family. As a young person, she was part of the Belgium resistance and responsible for saving at least 18 children. She also secured and distributed ration cards to people in hiding. FreIde met a GI around the time of liberation. She came to the U.S. as a war bride. She worked for the American Jewish Congress. She did some professional singing; she and her husband were very involved in the art world. They were founding members of Temple Beth Shalom in New City. Freide is the proud mother of three, grandmother of four and great grandmother of two.
Freide Gorewitz with Elizabeth Clark 
Tommy Wald
Tommy Wald was born in 1941 while in hiding; at the time, the family was living in a shed on a family’s farm in France. As an infant, his mother hid him in a drawer, in the hopes his life would be spared if the rest of the family was found. When the Nazis came, little Tommy cried, and wound up saving his parent’s life. Later, they were taken to a Labor Camp. His father joined the resistance and came to America in 1951. Tommy did not know of his Jewish identity until they came to the U.S. He was married and had a daughter and granddaughter. Sadly, Tommy left us too soon. He passed away on April 16, 2019, three weeks before the concert. May his memory be a blessing.
Tommy Wald with his wife Suzanne & Jude Roberts
Rita Schwartz
Rita Schwartz, nee Teper, was born in 1927 in Vienna where she lived with her brother and parents. When the Germans invaded Austria, she had to stop attending school. Though her extended family recommended emigrating, the Teper family ignored their advice. Rita witnessed Kristallnacht; her parents were arrested. The family was left homeless and they walked from Cologne, Germany through the woods into Belgium; they barely made it to the boat which brought them to America in 1940. Among many other roles, Rita enjoyed years of service as a staff person and volunteer for JFS Orange.
Rita Schwartz with Michael Veitch Featuring
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Colette Ruoff
Founder and President, SageArts
Colette is a professional leadership development coach and facilitator who has worked for more than 20 years to improve the leadership of dozens of organizations. In 2012, she became inspired to start a local community organization to honor the lived experience of elders, bringing their stories to the community artistically in song. Over the last six years, SageArts has launched projects to honor the lives of elder farmers, Woodstock community members, women leaders, and Holocaust Survivors, training more than 13 songwriters and producing seven concerts.
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Julie Last
SageArts Music Director
Julie Last has been active in the music recording business for more than 30 years. In 1980, she was specially invited to assist in the recording of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Double Fantasy” and in 1994, was a Grammy selection committee choice for Best Engineer for her recording of Rickie Lee Jones’ “Traffic From Paradise.” She has also produced several major and indie label albums and has recorded her own music for CD and film.
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Elise Gold
Former Executive Director, Jewish Family Service of Orange County (Project Sponsor)
The Cast
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Michael Veitch
Michael, a native of Woodstock, NY, is a long traveling singer songwriter with over 12 albums to his credit. His song “Veteran's Day” has been covered by Judy Collins who said, "Veteran's Day” is one of the best songs I ever recorded." His latest CD is titled Wachtraum which means “days of dreams” in German. Wachtraum’s theme focuses on his writing and beautiful tenor voice reflections on unique qualities of each month.
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Elizabeth Clark
A native of the Hudson Valley region of New York, Elizabeth composes and performs modern-day sacred music on world instruments with harp, ethereal voices, harmonium, and piano, often accompanied by her ever-evolving world music ensemble “Mamalama”. She explores music not only as performance, but also as a form of prayer, a healing pathway, and as a bridge between world cultures.
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Kelleigh McKenzie
For award-winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kelleigh McKenzie (pronounced "Kelly"), music is a way of knowing herself and being part of a community. After years of classical piano study as a child in rural Oregon, she took up the banjo for a theater role while majoring in acting at Carnegie Mellon University. To her surprise and delight, original songs began to bubble up and eventually became the focus of her creativity, offering avenues for deep connection with others and a lifelong path of inner exploration.
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Jude Roberts
Evocative and refreshingly melodic, Jude Roberts’ music makes you feel you’ve rediscovered a song you never knew. His record “Perfect Shell” showcases a diversity of songwriting styles and captures the connectivity of a live performance. Jude’s sound is influenced by English, Irish and Appalachian folk music, with touches of baroque and Romantic-era classical pieces and European folk/pop. A unique amalgam of style and talent, Jude Roberts draws the listener inward and invites them to dive deep.
The Crew
A Film By Tim Miller & Ilene Cutler
Producers
Tim Miller & Ilene Cutler
Editor
Timothy Guetterman
Writer
Timothy Guetterman
Line Producer
Deirdre Reckseit Miller
Cinematography
Ilene Cutler, Timothy Guetterman, Peter Mariuzza, Tim Miller
Re-Recording Mixer
Jared Horowitz
SageArts Founder & President
Colette Ruoff
Concert Audio Engineer
Dave Cook
Songwriters
Elizabeth Clark, Kelleigh Mckenzie, Jude Roberts, Michael Veitch
SageArts Concert Music Director
Julie Last
Holocaust Survivors
Freide Gorewitz, Rita Schwartz, Tibor Spitz, Tommy Wald
Songs
“Above the Rain”
Composer/Performer: Michael Veitch
Songs by SageArts Publishing Co. BMI
“All is Changing, We are Witness, We are Life”
Composer/Performer: Kelleigh McKenzie
SageArts Music Publishing Co. ASCAP
“Freide’s Opera”
Composer/Performer: Elizabeth Clark
Songs by SageArts Publishing Co. BMI
“Suzanne”
Composer/Performer: Jude Roberts
SageArts Music Publishing Co. ASCAP
“I Don’t Need to Tell You”
Composer/Performer: Jude Roberts
Publisher: SilverSwanSongs ASCAP
Concert Musicians and Additional Performers
Chris Andersen (vibes), Josh Benash (moog), Jennifer Clapp (harmony vocals), Gabriel Dresdale (cello), Neil Eisenberg (piano & accordion), Julie Last (harmony vocals), Christopher Law (painter), Bonnie Meadow (harmony vocals), Lou Pappas (bass), Sharon Penz (dancer), Elise Pittleman (harmony vocals), Annie Roland (harmony vocals), Marianne Tasick (violin)
Assistant Editor
Steve Spontak
Concert Cinematography
Michael Gaylin, Jill Malouf, Jacob Mautner, John Molinelli
Production Assistants
Jack Higbie, Eileen McAdam, John Morris, Ryan Quick
Still Photographers
Ilene Cutler & Whitney Martin
Legal Services
Steven C. Beer, Lewis Brisbois
Insurance
Taylor & Taylor Associates, Inc.
Stock Footage
Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive, United State Holocaust Memorial Museum
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, gift of the Gasul Family
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, gift of the Julien Bryan Archive
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Joseph Shadur
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Alive Lev
Accessed at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of National Archives & Records Administration
Accessed at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Bundesarchiv Filmarchiv
Accessed at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Filmoteka Narodowa
Interview of Friede Gorewitz is from the archive of the
USC Shoah Foundation - The Institute for Visual History and Education
Tibor Spitz Archival Footage
Field Producer, Sheila Brosnan
Archival Images
Pond 5
Shutterstock
Stock Music
Pond 5
Premium Beat
Jewish Family Service of Orange County
Paula Blumenau & Elise Gold
WAMC NorthEast Public Radio
Joe Donahue
Fundraisers
Suzanne Grossberg & Briana Maloney
Special Thanks
David Gonzalez, Marian Kleinman, Rosa Kleinman, Michele Kogan, Rachel Kogan, Lifesongs® - Academy for the Love of Learning, Inc. Paula Lockshon, Mount Saint Mary College, Sydney Schwartz, Nancy Spielberg, Noemi Spitz, The Pines at Poughkeepsie Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, Joseph Tovares
Original Production Funding Provided by
Darlene L. Pfeiffer, Joy F. Fishman and the Fishman Family Foundation, Dr. Theodore W. Hayes, Paul L. Delisio, Ann Bower, Barbara Anne Cohen, John Berman, Mark Katz, and others.
A complete list is available from PBS
Executive Producer
Tim Miller
Produced by Big Chief Inc. in association with PBS
© 2022 Big Chief Inc. All Rights Reserved
Publicity Contact: PJ Feinstein, PBS, pjfeinstein@pbs.org
Program Contact: Tim Miller, Big Chief Inc, tmiller@bigchiefent.com
SageArts Contact: Colette Ruoff, coletteruoff1@gmail.com