Real-Life ‘Schindler’s List’ Holocaust Survivor Introduces Algemeiner Honoree Sir Ben Kingsley at ‘J100’ Gala
DPS Request:
This is special – very special. You can see from the short report below what the story is, but you cannot begin to appreciate how it was told unless you were at this Algemeiner Dinner (I was) or, barring that, watching the video which accompanies the story. There are 3 parts. All are marvelous and need to be watched in order to fully grasp the importance of what was being said. The 10 minutes that Sir Ben Kingsley spoke left me profoundly moved but also awestruck as I watched a truly great actor deliver a finely crafted, important and moving speech in a way which only those who are gifted with the ability to transmit thoughts and feelings through physical presence and spoken words can do. No notes. No pauses. No hesitations. Perfectly crafted. Every gesture and movement clearly designed to enhance his words. The words were the substance, of course, but their delivery was the work of a master craftsman.
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Real-Life ‘Schindler’s List’ Holocaust Survivor Introduces Algemeiner Honoree Sir Ben Kingsley at ‘J100’ Gala
By Algemeiner Staff – 9/27/19
Daniela Lavender, Sir Ben Kingsley, Halina Silber, Mushka Efune and Dovid Efune at the 6th annual Algemeiner J100 gala in New York City, Sept. 27, 2019. Photo: PMC / Sean Zanni for The Algemeiner.
Famed British actor Sir Ben Kingsley was honored with the prestigious “Warrior for Truth” award on Thursday at the 6th annual Algemeiner ‘J100’ gala in New York City.
Kingsley, whose most prominent Jewish role was as Itzhak Stern in the 1993 Steven Spielberg film “Schindler’s List,” was introduced by Holocaust survivor Halina Silber — who was No. 16 on the real-life list compiled by German industrialist Oskar Schindler.
In his subsequent remarks, Kingsley remembered, “When I met with the great Steven Spielberg to discuss playing Itzhak Stern, I asked him, ‘What is my narrative function in this role?’ and he said, ‘Conscience. Witness.’ As I was filming, I had in my pocket a photograph of Anne Frank and I would say to this beautiful photograph, ‘Dear girl, I’m doing this for you.’ Everyday on the set I would say that.”
“Well, dear friends, tonight I can assure you that if given another opportunity to tell your story I can say wholeheartedly, ‘I’m doing this for you,’” he added.
Watch the speeches of Silber and Kingsley here:
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