Gerda Klein

My best friend's grandmother, Gerda Klein, was nominated as a "Jewish Community Hero." I've been lucky enough to grow up calling Gerda my surrogate grandma of sorts, and I can say firsthand that she is a truly wonderful and inspiring person.

Gerda is a Holocaust survivor and travels the world speaking about her experiences, educating audiences of all ages as well as helping people who have gone through their own traumatic experiences. She has done so much to help so many people—not only the Jewish community—and counts the United Nations and survivors of the Columbine shootings as just some of her many audiences. She's also an author and worked with HBO to create the documentary One Survivor Remembers, which is based on her experiences (and for which she won both an Oscar and an Emmy). She was also appointed by Bill Clinton to the council of the US Holocaust Museum. She also founded the Gerda and Kurt Klein Foundation, which works to alleviate human suffering.

If this list of accolades isn't enough to convince you of her many accomplishments, you can read more about her here. And while you're there...please vote for her as a Jewish Community Hero! It's very simple...all you have to do is click a button. I'd much appreciate it!