b'PLANNED GIVING AND ANNUAL FUNDPictured left to right: Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, WWII Liberator Glenn L. Felner, Bonnie L. Felner and Steven Spielberg at USC Shoah Foundations Ambassadors for Humanity GalaSpotlight: Glenn Felner told him that, because the survivors were so starved, feeding them would kill them if they ate too quickly.Glenn L. Felner was just 18 years old when he joined theThe memory of that experience over 75 years ago has led Army during WWII. There was an undercurrent thatto his continued fight against antisemitism today: The I recall that Jews dont fight, that Jews are cowards. So, Ifact that antisemitism still prevails today is absolutely had to make a statementI wanted to prove that Jews dohorrible, and it is important for us to speak up, Felner fightand to get as close to the action as Istated.possibly could, said Felner of his enlistment,One way in which he has chosen to fight which led to a wartime experience that wouldis by sharing his experiences. Felner gave see him awarded with the Combat Infantrytestimony to the Visual History Archive in Badge, the U.S. Bronze Star and the FrenchMay 1997, and he was recently included in Legion of Honor decoration. USC Shoah Foundations award-winning Born in Chicago, Felner was the seconddocumentary, Liberation Heroes: The Last youngest soldier in the 69 thInfantry Division,Eyewitnesses. Felner stated, Its important fighting at the Battle of the Bulge in Januarythat we share our experiences, so the present 1945. On the way to Leipzig in April ofgeneration does not forget what their fathers that year, his unit came upon Buchenwald Concentrationand grandfathers went through, how horrible war can Camp, where, upon encountering Jewish prisoners, hebe, and of course never forget the Holocaust. I saw the understood for the first time what had been happeningconsequences of both firsthand.to Jews in Europe: It is something I would not wantFelner and his wife Bonnie proudly support USC to experience againI can never forget the opening upShoah Foundation and recently made a generous bequest of the gates of the concentration camp. While passingto further its mission. If I can help an organization like out rations that he had hidden in his gas mask sack toUSC Shoah Foundation make a difference, he said, then liberated prisoners, Felner was stopped by a medic whoI am honored to do so.28 2020 ANNUAL REPORT'