Blue Heron International Pictures LLC

Global Dreamers

(Photo by Alex Ringer)Sonia Frenkel

Sonia Frenkel was a Holocaust survivor of Midanjek and Auschwitz. Before passing away in 1991, she asked her daughter Marsha "to educate kids for a better tomorrow around the world."

Marsha Goren has created an internationally acclaimed website, called Global Dreamers, which is a powerful fulfillment of her mother's last wishes.

Marsha Goren and some of her Global Dreamers

Marsha Goren with Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel

According to Marsha:

"Global Dreamers inspires children to take a deeper look at the world by exploring, exchanging ideas, and using research tools. It supports a positive learning environment and a shared learning experience.

(Photo by Alex Ringer)

By inviting the participation of children from around the globe, it supports the fight against the Digital Divide. In addition, it aims to encourage cross-cultural communication and promote global understanding, while helping children to expand their knowledge as well as supporting the innovative use of new technologies in education.

(Photo by Alex Ringer)

Above all, Global Dreamers attempts to create a more tolerant individual in a multicultural society. We believe that by understanding and learning about others, children can face a better world."

To visit Global Dreamers, click here.

(Photo courtesy of Moshe Tirosh)

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Letters From Students Around The World

The film, through its quotes and pictures, helps people -- both Holocaust survivors and the later generations -- to feel what the life of those who lived in the Warsaw ghetto must have been like.

I admire the courage of the Zabinski family. Many non-Jewish families didnt do anything to help the victims of the Holocaust in fear of their lives.

The Zabinski's, on the other hand, seemed to realize that though there was much at stake, it was worth it if they managed to save lives.

Never was there anything like the Holocaust, and we hope with all our might there never will be again. Gaya

Ryszard relaxing inside his Warsaw home (Photo by Piotr Bujnowicz)

We cried during the movie because we heard of the terrible things that the Nazis did. We think it's very important to teach children about theHolocaust. We will never forget!

Or and Mickey

The children need to learn so that we can stop such a thing as the Holocaust before it starts, before it becomes huge and terrible.

Nofar M.

The Zabinski family hid 300 Jewish people in the zoo. It was a very brave thing to do, and we will never forget it!

Liraz P.

Even in the worst periods of history, there are people with a golden heart.

Raz

Children need to know what happened in the Holocaust.

Ofri

We need to remember what happened there.

Roy and Ido

When I heard of the Polish soldiers who fought the German soldiers, I suddenly remembered the story of Massada, where the Jewish soldiers died, one after another. The Romans killed them all, but they still fought, and were heroes. Eiron S.

Moshe Tirosh spent part of his childhood in hiding at the Warsaw Zoo

We dont want the Holocaust to happen again.

Zohar

The movie made me feel that there is hope, and there are great people who will risk their lives for other people.

Lihi

We are the children who need to tell the story to future generations.

May

Hello, my name is Almog.

I dont have any "personal special story" about my family. The most exciting thing I can tell you is my grandfather and grandmother from both sides of my parents were in the Holocaust.

They got through it despite many hardships and remained alive. They had to watch an SS officer take his gun and kill their families. Actually they didn't like to talk about that. THEY WERE AFRAID.

So your movie has real meaning to me, a grandchild who never heard about his family, and yet I know how courageous they all were. Almog

It is important that children from all over the world see the movie, so that it will not happen again.

Eilon

It is important to see this movie because it raises awareness that even though there is evil in the world, deep down in the heart of some human beings, there is still good will and kindness.

Romi Z.

In the middle of this nightmare, your movie shows a light -- people who endangered themselves and knew they would pay a horrible price if caught by the Germans. It shows that there are people who can show compassion and care about others, despite the evil around them.

That is the message of your movie, Gary and Richard, that mankind can prevail even in hard times, and that the good can conquer evil even during the dark days of the Holocaust.

Our teacher Marsha was crying at the end of the film, as she is a firm believer in helping children in becoming good people. Omri

We think that the people who endangered their lives for the sake of the Jews have to truly be good people. We think the Germans living today are not guilty for the behavior of their fathers, and Jews do not blame others or refer to them in anger.

We are proud of you, Gary and Richard Lester, for caring about making the world a better place. Lior and Ronya

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Mail Received From Children in Israel After the Channel 10 Network Broadcast

I feel very grateful about Jan Zabinski and his family, who decided to hide 300 people in their home by risking their own lives.

Written by: Limor, 5^th grade.

Dear Gary Lester!

I think the movie can help the world understand what happened during the Holocaust. The film touched me very much.

Eldar 5^th grade

Dear Gary and Richard Lester,

I think that the movie you created is really important because it tells everyone that there was a Holocaust, and 6,000,000 Jewish people were killed in the extermination camps and in the ghettoes.

It tells us about good people too -- good people who hid the Jewish people in their houses (and zoos).

Eric K.

When I saw the movie, I felt a sadness to see what happened to our people in the Holocaust. I think all the people hiding Jewswere brave people, heroes. I liked the movie.

Tomer 5^th grade

Dear Gary Lester,

I think your movie showed to the world, there were good people in the Holocaust. They resisted even though they knew they could die. I think your movie showed the sadness and that it (the Holocaust) was serious.

I see the film as a message to people who deny the Holocaust. The people in the film told their stories and they did not have to lie. They are the proof!

I think that you are not Jewish and you still made a movie about the Holocaust that shows how much you care.

Shaked 5^th grade

Dear Gary Lester,

This is important to make a movie about the Holocaust and about people who helped other people.This was nice that a man who worked in the municipality went to the Ghetto and allowed Jewish people to enter the zoo.

This was nice that the manager of the zoo allowed the Jewish people to hide in the zoo.

Matan 5^th grade

Dear Gary Lester,

The movie is interesting. This is amazing that one person helped hide so manyJews in the Holocaust. My banner is on your site and I am proud.

Johnathan 4^th grade

Hello Gary!

My name is Bar and I'm from Israel. I saw the movie on Holocaust Day in Israel and I was very excited.The very beautiful movie has a deep sense of feeling.The movie touched my heart. I like the movie. Thank you!

Bar S.

I liked the people who helped the Jews. I liked the zookeeper. I also liked the animals in the zoo.

Inbal A. 4th Grade

Dear Gary,

In the movie Safe Haven: The Warsaw Zoo, I would like to tell you that I was impressed by the rebellion in Poland.

Yaniv Z, 4th Grade

Dear Gary and Richard Lester,

Your movie was beautiful. I loved how it reflected the Holocaust. I think the interviews with the Holocaust survivors really matched the movie.

Some parts were hard for me to watch because the description of the situation was so exact, so frightening. The part where Asia Doliner talks about the boy who laughed as the Jews were burning was implanted in my memory. I can't forget it.

I think the Zabinski's were true heroes.

Chen M.

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Student Mail From New Delhi, India

"Safe Haven" is a very thought-provoking and poignant film. It forces us to recall memories of the sad plight of the Jews all over
Europe.

Also, it is an outlet for knowledge about the miserable
conditions of the Jews during the Nazi rule.

The contributions of Jan, Antonina, Ryszard Zabinski, and all the other rescuers are to be spread to the whole world. All of them stood against all odds and helped to redefine humanity and bravery.

Shibika Suresh, New Delhi

Gary Lester has directed a wonderful movie which touched the very depth of my heart.It did bring tears to my eyes. I never thought about all the suffering before watching this movie.

Feliks Pastusiak and Alex Ringer have produced a great film, and Piotr Bujnowicz's work was the best, according to me. He really injected life into his photographs.

Kashish Grover, New Delhi

The memoirs about the holocaust have filled libraries and museums and they sit there still -- a just tribute to those who resisted,an embarrassing reminder to those who collaborated, and a warning to those who watched in silence.

MANI MAKKAR, INDIA

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Students in Poland React to Safe Haven

Films like this one are needed because of the low level of knowledge about historical facts. I think that it was a great idea to produce something like this.

Pawel Lipinski

The film is the best production I have ever watched. This film is amazing, and it presents a very sad, but very real, story.

Michal Skrzypczak

The film about Jan and Antonina Zabinski is like a diary written during the times of the Second World War. The photos with music make a "mirror" that shows what the war looked like. The speaker was speaking very slowly so I understood what the film was about.

Angelika Kubicka

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Mail Excerpts From the United States

Dear Gary Lester,

The movie makes me feel really sad for the people in Warsaw , especially the Jewish people. It makes me think, "What did the Jews do to the Germans that made them do this?"

It makes me grateful for the Polish people and the people of the Warsaw Zoo to do what they did to save lots of lives.

Kate (4^th Grader at Lincoln School - Oak Park, IL )

Dear Gary Lester,

I just watched the movie, Safe Haven The Warsaw Zoo. It was a very good movie. I feel sad for the children that got shot, the people that got burned to death, and the people of Warsaw that suffered because of the German soldiers who took their food to feed their own people.

I think the owners of the Warsaw Zoo were very brave. I think they were brave because they hid a lot of Jews with the risk of the Germans finding them.

Miyumi (Mimi) (4^th Grader at Lincoln School- Oak Park, IL )

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Mail from another Warsaw......

.......Warsaw, Indiana USA

Dear Friends,

We just saw the movie The Warsaw Zoo. It was very sad because the Polish resistance held the Nazis back, but then more troops were sent in.

I think that the citizens who took arms to try to hold back the Germans probably needed a lot of courage to take on all those Germans like that.

It was wrong for Hitler to kill so many innocent lives like he did.

Alex L.

Today we watched the movie The Warsaw Zoo.

We had just finished talking about the Underground Railroad, and yesterday we played a game. There were Conductors, people at rest points, Slave Catchers, and Slaves. (I was one of the slaves.)

We had run away at the beginning of the game and found a Conductor. We were at our second rest point and our conductor got caught!!! It was scary. We had no idea what to do!

We stayed at the point a little longer, and then we started to go. There were slave catchers all over! So I ran as fast as I could. I had people chasing me from behin. I was one step away from the rest point when I got caught! I had to go back to the plantation!

I was thinking that it is kind of similar to hiding in a war. There were people all around you who wanted to do something bad to you. You never knew what would happen. You hardly knew anything, except that you needed to hide.

Amanda

We just watched the video, The Warsaw Zoo, and I think that it was very sad because of all of the people who died in the Holocaust.

I think that there should never ever be a WAR again because all that it does is kill people and theres no reason to have wars.

You can at least try to be KIND to each other, even if you dont like a person. If you treat other people nicely, then hopefully they are going to treat you nicely. The movie has taught me to be a better person.

Chelsey

One of the parts in the movie that was sad was when they said that they started sending five year olds under the wall where there were holes to get food and bring it back. Then they said that when the soldiers caught the five year olds, they would not hesitate to kill the little kids.

Noemi V.

Ryszard Zabinski at his Warsaw home (Photo by Piotr Bujnowicz)

I liked the movie because it tells you about what happened to the animals. If you see animals or people who need help, help them! Every day, there are people who need help. Help the animals too and try not to make them die. You can have lots of feelings about people and animals.
Shelbie N.

I actually felt all the pain that the people in the movie did, and so now I know what it was like. That was really hard, but I liked finding out things that I never knew before.

Excerpts from The Glass Class at Harrison Elementary School in Warsaw, Indiana

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Exciting News

The Global Virtual Classroom Contest, a project of the Give Something Back International Foundation, has announced that Marsha Goren's team has won the grand prize in the elementary school division.

Goren is the founder of Global Dreamers in Israel, and international education outreach coordinator for the film, Safe Haven: The Warsaw Zoo. The film is part of the award-winning GVC website.

Approximately 2100 students from 75 schools, representing 23 countries around the world, unveiled their websites as part of the GVC Contest.

According to Julie Flinn, GVC Project Manager, "subjects ranged from wildlife education and conservation to cultural comparisons of their respective countries, and from clean water, pollution, and climate change to music around the world."

"Sites from participating teams show the kind of creativity that can come from putting students from different cultures together in a collaborative endeavor," said Flinn.

Marsha with a few of her Global Dreamers

This year's Grand Prize winner for the primary school category, "The School of Kindness," was designed by students from Ein Ganim School in Petach Tikva, Israel, coached by Marsha Goren.

Their team partners included students at Harrison Elementary School in Warsaw, Indiana, USA, coached by Rick Glass, and Abraham Lincoln Elementary School in Oak Park, Illinois, USA, coached by Matt Kuntz.

Their website promotes kindness and shows ways to help people all over the world.

Safe Haven: The Warsaw Zoo, featured on the award-winning website, was released in March, 2009 by Blue Heron International Pictures and directed by filmmaker Gary Lester.

Graphics by Global Dreamers

Maor (opening), Johnathan (middle), and Omri (closing)

Photos courtesy of Piotr Bujnowicz, the Zabinski Family, and Global Dreamers

Stills from the Channel 10 broadcast courtesy of Channel 10 and Alex Ringer

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Miki and Udi

(Photo by Udi Goldwasser)

Soon after releasing Deliver Us From Evil, our second documentary film expressing hope for world tolerance, we received an e-mail from Miki Goldwasser in Israel.

She sent us a photograph taken by her son. The image shows three beautiful herons in flight.

We felt compelled to share Udi's photograph, his story, and a mother's desperate hope for a son's safe return.

There can be no more eloquent plea for tolerance and understanding in our world today.

Udi's Story

(Photo courtesy of Miki Goldwasser)

Udi Goldwasser was born in Nahariya Israel on July 18,1975. Udi was a man of principles and values, knowledgeable in many subjects. He loved movies, music and spending time with his friends.

Udi had many friends from the different periods of his life: friends with whom he grew up in Nahariya, pals from the army, friends from theTechnion, and friends from his travels around the world.

(Photo courtesy of Miki Goldwasser)

Udi believed in conservation of the environment. He loved animals, especially his two cats and "mishehoo," an abandoned and injured dog he lovingly adopted.

Udi also had a special love for children. He was always talking proudly of the kids in his family and of his friends' kids.

During the last few years of his life, Udi developed a great interest in photography. He spent much of his spare time taking photos of scenery and nature, both in Israel and abroad.

(Photo courtesy of Miki Goldwasser)

On July 12, 2006, Udi Goldwasser and his friend, Eldad Regev, were abducted to Lebanon after Hezbollah attackedt their military patrol.

They remained missing for two years.

On Wednesday morning, July 16, 2008, two black coffins were delivered to Israeli officials through a border gate between Israel and Lebanon -- a sad ending to a story of hope.

You may visit a children's memorial site for Udi at

Global Dreamers

(Photo by Zmira Ringer)

"Thy children shall come again to their own borders."

Jeremiah 31, 17