By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Community members and students in Plainwell will have the opportunity to hear from a Holocaust survivor.
Irene Miller, author of “Into No Man’s Land,” will share her story at Ransom District Library at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, before speaking to Plainwell High School and Middle School students the next morning.
Plainwell High School teacher Julie Trahan approached Ransom Library head of patron services Analiese Mattson with the idea of teaming up for Miller’s visit.
“(Trahan) approached me at the end of last year with the idea of having Irene come speak here in Plainwell,” Mattson said. “Irene had been scheduled to do an event in March of 2020 at a library where I had previously worked, but was unable to come due to the pandemic.
“So, when her name came up, I was excited to have another chance to meet her. Irene said she wishes to address as many schools and groups as possible and we are thrilled to be one of those places.”
Miller, who resides on the east side of the state, published “Into No Man’s Land” in 2013. The book takes readers through Miller’s harrowing journey of escaping the Holocaust and fighting for survival.
Miller will discuss those experiences during her time in Plainwell, as described by the promotional material for the events:
“You will sleep in the winter under an open sky on the no man’s land; you will freeze in a Siberian labor camp where the bears come to your door front. In Uzbekistan, you will live on boiled grass or broiled onions, and shiver with malaria. You will spend years in orphanages. When this is over you will wonder how a child with this background grows up to become a positive, creative, accomplished woman with a joy of living and love to share.
“It is a story of courage, determination, perseverance and the power of the human spirit.”
Miller’s message revolves around the importance of tolerance and justice, while highlighting the destructive nature of hate and prejudice.
“I want to help empower people to stand up and speak out when they see something going on that they know isn’t right,” Miller said. “I want to give people an image of the suffering I went through and help them think of ways to help other who are suffering in various ways.”
Speaking to students is particularly important to Miller given the influence that generation will have on determining the course of their communities, the nation and beyond.
“The young people are our future leaders,” she said. “It is very important that they learn about the past and earn about the horrors of stories like mine. They need to know that stories like mine are real. That will help them make good choices in the future and look for ways to avoid the kinds of mistakes that were made in the past.”
After arriving in the United States, Miller earned three college degrees from the University of Cincinnati: a bachelor of science in psychology; a masters in social psychology; and a masters of business administration with an emphasis in hospital management.
Her career included: positions as a hospital administrator; developer and administrator of the first federally qualified HMO in Michigan; director of mental health for Livingston County; Director of Mental Health, Detroit Osteopathic Hospital; and director of outpatient and inpatient treatment centers for drug addicted and dual diagnosed women and their children, Detroit Medical Center.
She also served on an advisory committee in Washington D.C. for issues related to drug addiction in women and children and taught public school in Israel for two years.
In retirement, Miller is a docent and speaker for the Detroit Institute of Arts, a mediator in courts, and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Jewish Committee.
And since the release of “Into No Man’s Land,” she has been an in-demand speaker for various organizations.
“When people come up to me and tell me my book inspired them in some way, it’s so rewarding,” Miller said. “It is very humbling to know that my story has made a positive impact on so many others.”
Mattson is one of the people who have been moved by Miller’s story.
“Irene is an amazing woman who has used her traumatic experiences from the Holocaust to inspire positive action, promote tolerance and diversity and empower people to overcome obstacles in life,” Mattson said. “I hope that the community members and students will be inspired by her story.”
Miller’s event at Ransom Library is free and open to the public.
“I hope as many people come out as possible,” Miller said. “I love meeting people and there are very few opportunities to hear from Holocaust survivors because there are very few of us left.”
For more information about Miller, visit her website at www.irenemillerspeaker.com.
