To commemorate Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Memorial Day, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee at NATIONAL Public Relations recently presented a poignant first-person account of survival by guest speaker Fishel (Philip) Goldig.
Born in Ukraine in 1933, Mr. Goldig recounted a harrowing tale of survival, as he and his family escaped from hiding place to hiding place, barely one step ahead of their Nazi pursuers. Mr. Goldig and his parents survived the Holocaust in Ukraine’s Borszczow ghetto, the surrounding forest, and in hiding with a Ukrainian farmer.
While his story was harrowing, the fact that he was with us in person to tell the tale meant the conclusion of the story would be positive. Indeed, Mr. Goldig came to Montreal after the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career in business, while raising a vibrant family of four children and seven grandchildren. He has also been active in the arts, starring in musical theatre for most of his adult life.
Mr. Goldig is now a much-in-demand volunteer speaker at the Montreal Holocaust Museum, who has shared his story of loss and resilience with thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds.
His message is that survivors have an obligation to tell their story to anyone who will listen, particularly to the next generation. In this way, survivor stories will remind future generations that we must be vigilant in fighting hate, antisemitism, and intolerance.
Following his emotional lunch-hour talk, our guest speaker received a standing ovation from the packed house in NATIONAL Montreal’s Grand Café.
Established several years ago, NATIONAL’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee presents various programs throughout the year to make the Firm more reflective of all lived experiences in Canada and to help create an equitable and inclusive workplace.
These employee events include a variety of education, celebration, and empowerment initiatives, encompassing training, conferences, team activities and the sharing of tools and resources on topics relating to diversity, equity and inclusion.