Autumn 2001

WARSAW, POLAND

First Lady Laura Bush Visits Lauder Kindergarten in Warsaw

The yellow rose of Texas was blooming brightly in Warsaw as Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, visited The Lauder Community Center for Jewish Education during a recent visit to Poland. Guided by Foundation President, Ronald S. Lauder, Mrs. Bush was greeted on June 6, 2001 by smiling students of the Lauder Warsaw Kindergarten.

The First Lady read the book, The Caterpillar Who Ate Too Much, and the children listened with undivided attention, laughing and following every nuance of her reading. Children received their own copies as a gift from Mrs. Bush. Mr. Lauder then led the children in a roaring rendition of "Deep in The Heart of Texas", which was selected especially for the occasion.

Mrs. Bush got a taste of the coming Shabbat when she joined the children for the lighting of the candles and the tasting of delicious school-baked challah. The children sang "Shabbat Shalom," and gave Mrs. Bush a crayon drawing they made of the skyline of Jerusalem.

During the visit, Mr. Lauder presented a plaque to Mrs. Bush, dedicating the Lauder Morasha School Library in her honor.

Following the visit to the school, Mr. Lauder and Mrs. Bush joined United States President George W. Bush at a memorial service at the Warsaw Ghetto Fighters Monument. The President laid a wreath at the foot of the monument and observed a moment of silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the Warsaw Ghetto.

During a trip to Hungary, Alma Powell, wife of US Secretary of State General Colin Powell, visited the Lauder Javne Jewish Community School in Budapest.

Mrs. Powell sang along in a music class, painted side-by-side with students in art groups, and met with school administrators. In addition, she toured the school’s museum, which contains pre-World War II Jewish memorabilia belonging to many of the students’ parents and grandparents.

Mrs. Powell also had the pleasure of meeting with the youngest students of the Lauder Javne School in their kindergarten class. While there, Mrs. Powell was thrilled to receive a framed drawing made by one of the Lauder Javne kindergarten students to commemorate her visit. (The young artist presented the picture to Mrs. Powell along with a big hug!).

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