Dr. Irene Butter (December 11, 1930 – October 2, 2026) As described on her website, Dr. Butter was a Holocaust survivor, acclaimed educator, and global human rights advocate. She dedicated her life to educating millions on the dangers of hatred, indifference, and discrimination, championing the enduring philosophy: "Never a bystander." May her memory be for a blessing.
More from her website: born in Berlin, Germany, in 1930, Dr. Butter's childhood was disrupted by the Nazi regime. Her family fled to Amsterdam in 1936, later coming under Nazi occupation following the 1940 invasion of the Netherlands. In 1943, her family was deported to the Westerbork transit camp and subsequently to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Dr. Butter survived the war alongside her mother and brother, eventually immigrating to the United States in December 1945 as a 15-year-old refugee. Born in Berlin, Germany, in 1930, Dr. Butter's childhood was disrupted by the Nazi regime. Her family fled to Amsterdam in 1936, later coming under Nazi occupation following the 1940 invasion of the Netherlands. In 1943, her family was deported to the Westerbork transit camp and subsequently to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Dr. Butter survived the war alongside her mother and brother, eventually immigrating to the United States in December 1945 as a 15-year-old refugee. Dr. Butter earned her undergraduate degree from Queens College before attending Duke University, where she became the only woman in her economics Ph.D. program, receiving her doctorate in 1960. Dr. Butter went on to serve for decades as a distinguished Professor of Public Health at the University of Michigan, specializing in health economics, women's healthcare, and global health workforce policies. After remaining silent about her childhood trauma for forty years, Dr. Butter began speaking publicly about her experiences—including her time in Bergen-Belsen alongside her childhood neighbor, Anne Frank. Recognizing her moral duty to bear witness, she addressed middle schools, high schools, universities, and international community halls, speaking directly to youth about hope, human dignity, and the responsibility to confront intolerance at its earliest stages. Dr. Butter's international legacy as an author, peacebuilder, and human rights advocate includes numerous landmark initiatives and honors. Her many accomplishments included writing a memoir, Shores Beyond Shores: From Holocaust to Hope, My True Story, and co-founding Zeitouna, an Arab-Jewish women's dialogue group based in Ann Arbor.
More from her website: born in Berlin, Germany, in 1930, Dr. Butter's childhood was disrupted by the Nazi regime. Her family fled to Amsterdam in 1936, later coming under Nazi occupation following the 1940 invasion of the Netherlands. In 1943, her family was deported to the Westerbork transit camp and subsequently to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Dr. Butter survived the war alongside her mother and brother, eventually immigrating to the United States in December 1945 as a 15-year-old refugee. Born in Berlin, Germany, in 1930, Dr. Butter's childhood was disrupted by the Nazi regime. Her family fled to Amsterdam in 1936, later coming under Nazi occupation following the 1940 invasion of the Netherlands. In 1943, her family was deported to the Westerbork transit camp and subsequently to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Dr. Butter survived the war alongside her mother and brother, eventually immigrating to the United States in December 1945 as a 15-year-old refugee. Dr. Butter earned her undergraduate degree from Queens College before attending Duke University, where she became the only woman in her economics Ph.D. program, receiving her doctorate in 1960. Dr. Butter went on to serve for decades as a distinguished Professor of Public Health at the University of Michigan, specializing in health economics, women's healthcare, and global health workforce policies. After remaining silent about her childhood trauma for forty years, Dr. Butter began speaking publicly about her experiences—including her time in Bergen-Belsen alongside her childhood neighbor, Anne Frank. Recognizing her moral duty to bear witness, she addressed middle schools, high schools, universities, and international community halls, speaking directly to youth about hope, human dignity, and the responsibility to confront intolerance at its earliest stages. Dr. Butter's international legacy as an author, peacebuilder, and human rights advocate includes numerous landmark initiatives and honors. Her many accomplishments included writing a memoir, Shores Beyond Shores: From Holocaust to Hope, My True Story, and co-founding Zeitouna, an Arab-Jewish women's dialogue group based in Ann Arbor.
