URI Remembers the Holocaust Article By: Kou Nyan May 4, 2012

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1 URI Remembers the Holocaust Article By: Kou Nyan May 4, 2012 Sometimes the best way to promote peace and nonviolence is to remind people about the past. Every year the Norman M. Fain Hillel Center at the University of Rhode Island holds a Holocaust Memorial Commemoration Week to remember the tragic event. During World War II, Nazi Germany captured and murdered over six million Jews after claiming they were a threat to German society. Along with the Jews, the Nazis captured gypsies, the mentally or physically disabled, Jehovah Witnesses, homosexuals, communists, socialists, and thousands who tried to help the Jews escape the Nazis. Thankfully, many were freed from the concentration camps towards the end of WWII by the Allied Forces (Soviet Union, United States, France, and England). This year students and faculty of the Hillel Center remembered and educated the URI community about the Holocaust. On April 13, Holocaust survivor Betty Alder spoke at the Hope and Redemption Shabbat Dinner held at the Hillel Center. On April 16 flags were planted in the Hammerschlag Mall to represent the 12 million victims of the Holocaust. The flags are color-coded to represent the background of each victim. Just one small flag equals 5000 victims.

2 The Hillel Center also held a film and discussion on Love in a World of Sorrow, based on a teenage Holocaust survivor Fanya Gottesfeld s memoir. On April 19 the AEPi Fraternity held a silent march on URI s Quad called We Walk to Remember. Promoting peace and nonviolence sometimes requires us to be educated about the horrors of the past to prevent it from becoming our future. Below you can read stories from students of the Hillel Center and their thoughts on the Holocaust. For more information about the Holocaust check out the following sites: Rhody Hillel Holocaust Remembrance Field of Flags sign shows how many people died in the Holocaust Yadvashem in Jerusalem U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Holocaust Education and Resource Center of R.I. in Providence 2

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5 SABRINA BROTONS Sabrina Brotons is an active member of the Norman M. Fain Hillel Center. She is a sophomore double majoring in Public Relations and Political Science. These are her thoughts on Holocaust Remembrance Week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abrina Brotons (center) with Andrew Segeman (left) and Natasha Nemeth (right) stand in front of the field of flags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

6 From Poland, to Israel, to America By Elanah Chassen 4/27/2012 There are no words and there is no way to capture or understand the experience, thoughts, feelings, or aura I felt in Poland this past December. For 6 days, 20 students, staff, and I walked through various concentration and extermination camps as well as historical points in Krakow and Warsaw. What we saw and felt was truly an experience like no other and I cannot accurately describe any of our feelings or thoughts, but I will try. As I stood in the airport with the other students who were also studying abroad with me, countless questions ran through my mind. How would I react to the various points we would be visiting? What would I feel when I walked through a site where people of all ages- women and men, parents, children, aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandchildren were shot, gassed, or burned to death? How would I react when our tour guide told us the outrageous numbers of deaths in each camp? Would I cry the whole time? Would all the questions I had since I was a young girl be answered? Would I understand all the information given to me? Growing up with a Jewish background, I was taught about the Holocaust. Through pictures, stories, documentaries, and movies, I thought I understood what the Holocaust was and how 2/3 of the European Jews, 1/3 of the world s Jewish population were murdered, plus Jehovah's Witnesses, the handicapped, gypsy s, the mentally challenged, homosexuals, and those who risked their lives to help any of these innocent people. Each year I learned more about the Holocaust and began to think, What else is there to really learn? I knew the sensitivity of the topic, but it was not until this past December that it hit home and deeply affected me. What I felt, or didn t feel during the 6 days in Poland was nothing close to what I expected- numbness, pain, confusion, sickness, and pride. One might ask how I was able to feel all those things. However, to truly understand my feelings, one would have to be there and see the sites for themselves. Numbness, pain, confusion, sickness, and pride. 4

7 Walking through the concentration camps, passing the watchtowers where guards stood 24/7, passing the barbed wire fences, walking through the barracks and in the gas chambers was an unreal feeling. I stood in the gas chambers, I stood in the barracks, I walked through the camp just like all the mothers, fathers, siblings, and young children did just 67 years ago. I walked on the grounds and through the buildings just like the innocent people did 67 years ago; the only difference was that I was free and came out alive. I was able to walk wherever I wanted without fearing my life. I could walk out of a barrack and not be shot or punished. If I was thirsty, I could take a sip of water from my canteen or grab a snack from my backpack. I did not worry I would walk into the gas chamber or showers with my mother and walk out never to see her again. I did not hear the cries or screams of the people inside the gas chambers or hear children whimpering because they were dying of starvation. I knew at the end of the tour my entire family would be alive, my parents would not be shot, my brothers would not be burned, or my grandma or cousins would not be gassed to death. I walked out of the camps a free person. I asked myself what would I take from all this? After 6 mentally exhausting days in Poland, the students and I flew back to Israel and returned to our classes. In January, I returned home to New Jersey and a few weeks later began my spring semester at URI. Since I have returned from Poland, buses still run, teachers and students still attend classes, music continues to play through the radio; all life still goes on. I wake up each morning, eat my breakfast and begin my day just like I did before Poland, but I am different. My secular and religious thoughts, ideas, perspectives, and gratitude have changed. I have always been proud to be Jewish, but I now understand the importance of continuing my Jewish education. It is not only my outlook or thoughts about the Holocaust that have changed or how people treat one another, but my views on being the best person I can be- a free human being that is allowed to feel, think, and live however I wish without fearing I will be punished or killed for doing so. These words do not adequately describe any of my feelings, thoughts, or lessons learned through my Poland trip. Even if I were to try by combining the notes and pictures, I know it would not do justice. However, I also know I cannot hold back from speaking out or attempting to explain because to remain quiet would be a crime just like those who did not speak out during the Holocaust. Although I was not in their shoes and will never be able to understand their reasons, I am aware that if I do not speak out, my thoughts, opinions, and ideas will not be heard. Since I have returned from Poland all life still goes on. I wake up each morning, eat my breakfast and begin my day just like I did before Poland, but I am different. Each year there is one day dedicated to remembering the loss of millions, Yom 5

8 HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day.) This past Thursday when we remembered the lives lost 67 years ago I felt different than previous years. After visiting Krakow and Warsaw, I cannot view the Holocaust like I did before or live my life with the same feelings or thoughts. This past Holocaust Remembrance Day, I recalled the lessons learned from my Poland trip and continue learning and practicing them- the importance of speaking out, taking initiative, and listening. It s vital to speak out even if you don t think anyone cares or is listening because you never know who is going to hear and the impact you will make. It s important to listen to those who speak- especially to the people others don t notice or may not notice as much. To take initiative and invite others It is not only my outlook or thoughts about the Holocaust that have changed but my views on being the best person I can be- a free human being that is allowed to feel, think, and live however I wish. into your group or plans is such a small and easy thing to do, but will mean so much more to the people you invite than you ll probably ever know. It s easy to get caught up in social media or any outside source and live according to how you believe others perceive you, but to take a step back and pause is also easy. To think about your actions or words and how they may affect others in a positive or negative manner may only take a few minutes, but in the end may make a lifelong difference. So my words to those who are listening; Speak Out, Express Yourself, and Listen. Listen to others with an open mind, watch those who do not speak, but when they do, listen that much more. Learn. Learn from your words and the words of others. Talk. Talk to people, smile at people, and pass on knowledge, thoughts, and emotions because, as Hazy Flint, my incredible tour guide told me, Those who have been hurt the most give the most love and Even in the darkest of places, there is always light. We will always find ourselves in situations where we are faced with obstacles, but the most important thing is not to fear and to know that we have the ability to teach ourselves we are able to overcome these obstacles and we will. One light can light up an entire room and one soul can light up an entire people. Elanah Chassen is a junior at the University of Rhode Island and is majoring in Communications Studies. She is also an active member of the Norman M. Fain Hillel Center. 6