Geddy Lee Shares At Queens University Holocaust Remembrance Event
Rock icon Geddy Lee, best known as the bassist and vocalist for the legendary band Rush, was featured as the guest speaker at Queens University’s Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center’s annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day event on January 27, 2025. Held on campus at the Sandra Levine Theatre, the event commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and honored the victims of the Holocaust.
“For nearly a decade, the Greenspon Center has worked tirelessly to provide transformative educational experiences that honor the history and lessons of the Holocaust while empowering individuals to stand against injustice in all forms,” said University President Dan Lugo. “We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and look forward to their continued impact in combatting antisemitism and bigotry, making our campus, community, city, and state more welcoming and inclusive.”
Greenspon Center Director Judy LaPietra invited members of the Charlotte Holocaust survivors community to stand as the audience joined together for a rousing applause. “It is an immense honor to stand before you as we commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau,” said LaPietra. “This moment marks not only the passage of time but a reflection on the depth of the horrors that were unleashed there and the resilience and courage of those who survived to bear witness to the atrocities that occurred there.”
The event held deep personal significance for Lee. His parents, Mary and Morris Weinrib, were Holocaust survivors who endured the horrors of Auschwitz and other concentration camps. Lee shared excerpts from his autobiography, “My Effin’ Life,” recounting his parents’ experiences and the profound impact their survival had on his life, music, and worldview.
“Growing up in a household of survivors – in a family of survivors – I understand the importance of this day only too well. When it came time to put my memories on paper, I couldn’t tell my story without telling my parent’s story,” Lee stated, describing how his parents’ lives were irrevocably changed by the Nazi invasion of their small Polish towns. He detailed their harrowing experiences in concentration camps, their separation, and their eventual reunion after the war.
Lee emphasized the importance of remembering the Holocaust and educating future generations about its atrocities. He expressed concern about the rise of antisemitism and hate speech in recent years, stressing the need to remain vigilant against all forms of intolerance.
“Now that my mom is no longer here to tell her story, I feel I need to tell her story, and I need people to remember what can happen,” said Lee. “Their stories are worth repeating for so many different reasons, and I find myself a beneficiary of the wisdom and the suffering that they went through.”
The event, moderated by The Washington Post’s national arts reporter Geoff Edgers, drew a large crowd of community members. Attendees expressed gratitude for Lee’s willingness to share his family’s story and his powerful message of hope and resilience.
“The response to Geddy Lee’s conversation with our community has been overwhelmingly positive and exceeded all of our expectations,” said Rabbi Judy Schindler, the Greenspon Center’s Jewish Scholar-in-Residence and Social Justice Lead. “People came from far and wide to hear him and were touched by his stories and wisdom. He expanded the circle of those who care about keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive so that collectively we can work to combat hate in the many forms it comes.”
The Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and promoting social justice. The Center’s annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day event is a vital part of its mission to educate the community and inspire action against intolerance.