At a moving ceremony, Wellington School in Timperley renamed its Humanities building the Alterman Building after 94-year-old Manchester based Holocaust Survivor Ike Alterman.
Ike’s Fed My Voice life story book which chronicles his life before, during and after the war and includes detailed recollections of his time as a prisoner at Auschwitz Birkenau and the crimes against humanity he witnessed there has been specially used by Wellington School as part of their history curriculum for a several years. Ike and his story have made such an impact on the staff and students that the decision was made to rename the school’s history building in his name.
Welcoming guests, Headteacher Stuart Beeley addressed Ike and said “you have inspired us. You have reminded us about why the work we do in school is so important and we will continue to do that work. You have reminded us we need to be kinder to each other and you and your fellow Survivors have created a legacy and you will forever more be part of Wellington School.”
Speaking to assembled governors, staff, students, and guests from The Fed, Ike said:
“I came to this country as a young orphan aged 16. My formal education stopped at the age of 10 when the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939 and forced all the Jews to live in the Ghetto of my town of Ostrowiec.”
“The fact that my Fed My Voice book is used here at Wellington as part of the History curriculum to educate young people with my first-hand testimony of the Holocaust is exactly what I wanted to happen when I wrote it. ”
“It is fantastic and makes me so very proud.”
Overcome with emotion Ike then unveiled the plaque which reads:
This building was renamed the Alterman building on 26th April 2023.
In recognition and celebration of Ike Alterman, a survivor of the Holocaust.
In this building, lessons from the past and hope for the future is built through the teaching of the Humanities subjects.
“I just hope one day people will come to their senses and be a bit kinder to each other” Ike Alterman
