May 18, 2012
Re “Out of focus,”
April 18
Johanna Ginsberg’s excellent article provoked much-needed discussion on the direction of Holocaust remembrance and education (“
The Holocaust Council of MetroWest remains completely focused on the Shoa and its complex, painful, yet fascinating history and its effects on the present. This includes the surge in global anti-Semitism — which owes a good deal of its animus to the virulent propaganda the Nazis created and propagated throughout the Muslim world — as well as lessons of courage and defiance as exemplified by Jews and Righteous Gentiles.
“Remember and tell” were the last words of the victims, and this is our mission.Through our programs, students tour our exhibits, participate in the Rubell Remembrance Journeys to the U.S.Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, and meet survivors. These students become witnesses to the eyewitnesses.
Recently at Congregation Beth Hatikvah in Summit, bat mitzva Ella Gottesman DeBode delivered a powerful talk on her survivor “twin,”Nessa Ben Asher.To say that the congregation was moved would be a glaring understatement.Thanks to Ella, no one who was there will forget Nessa’s story of sorrow and despair that metamorphosed into courage and heroism.
Yes, we talk about other genocides in relation to the Holocaust but it is the Shoa that remains the touchstone for all subsequent genocides. The late Sister Rose Thering always said, “When you teach the Holocaust, you teach everything.”
We remain concerned that the Shoa not be subsumed into other genocides because it was unique in history. As Elie Wiesel says, “Not all victims were Jews, but all Jews were victims.” The losses experienced in terms of lives, culture, and scholarship continue to leave a void that will never be filled. Thus, we are vigilant about teaching the Holocaust to students, educators, and the community.
This year, the council helped plan and develop 16 local Yom Hashoa commemorations. We continue to rescue and preserve testimonies, documents, and artifacts. Programs like “Real to Reel” and “Lunch and Learn” grow in attendance.We encourage and mentor teachers through the “Teaching Trunks” program and through scholarships. One of the council’s former interns just graduated with a master’s in Holocaust studies. Our newest initiative, “Shoa Stories on Stage,” is proving highly successful.
We are most grateful to the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest and the Darivoff Family Foundation for making all this possible and to all our supporters; United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ; and our dedicated board members, survivors, docents, and volunteers.
Barbara Wind
Director
Holocaust Council of MetroWest
May 4, 2012
On Sunday morning, June 10, Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell will honor two dozen current member families whose roots are connected to the 1920-55 founding era of the synagogue.
We are seeking to collect names and addresses of other folks whose roots also are connected to our founding era so they can be formally invited to the celebration and reunion.
Please send contact information to office@agudath.org.
Rabbi Alan Silverstein
Congregation Agudath Israel of West Essex
Caldwell
May 4, 2012
Re “Out of focus,”
April 18
Johanna Ginsberg’s article on teaching about the Holocaust is totally “Out of Focus!”
The importance of the Holocaust is not how many Jews were murdered by the Nazis as compared with how many other people were murdered.What is important is to teach the necessity of fighting against discrimination and victimization of any group in our society.
In terms of the survival of the Jewish community in America, it is also essential to teach our children the pride of being Jewish. For the first time in history, Jews in America have the option of choosing whether or not to remain members of the group. The Holocaust and other Jewish catastrophes like the Inquisition and pogroms are great for mobilizing the Jewish community.However, I do not believe that they are much of a selling point for our children.We should teach our children about the marvel of Jewish survival and the unequalled distinction achieved by Jews of America in every field of endeavor. We have representation, far out of proportion to our numbers, on the U.S. Supreme Court, in both houses of Congress, and as authors, educators, scientists, etc. Last,but not least, we should teach them about the outstanding role of Jews as advocates for justice and equality of treatment for every citizen of our great nation.
Victor W. Stein
Pompton Plains
May 4, 2012
Re “‘The Jewish vote is really not about Israel’,”
April 18
Your interview with Forward columnist J.J. Goldberg includes two statements of particular interest. He makes the point that American Jews vote on what they think is good for them and are motivated by “fears of the Christian Right.” The first point is surely universal, but understates that in doing so, they merely perpetuate the practice of bygone generations by voting Democrat, irrespective of changing environments. However, Israelis welcome America’s Christian Right, whose unquestionable support is immense, while fearing Obama’s disproportionate Jewish left-wing appointees who have fully embraced his passion to subject Israel to what Abba Eban once termed “Auschwitz borders.”
A further aggravation for Israel is the persistent overkill in minimizing radical Islam. Obama’s ineptness is about to turn the “Arab Spring” into a massive Middle East explosion.
As the astute Middle East author David Pryce-Jones observed many years ago, “Westerners habitually and ignorantly misconceive the responses they are likely to encounter from the Arabs, unsuitably and even laughably projecting their own political and moral attitudes where theses cannot apply.”
Alex Rose
Ashkelon, Israel
May 4, 2012
Politics has always been a bit nasty, a bit dirty. There is no question about that. But recent attacks on Sen. Frank Lautenberg — including name calling, ageism, and EZ Pass distractions — raise the question as to whether or not there is any limit to which those in politics will go these days. It is distasteful and it is offensive. And with so many critical issues facing us today, it is yet one more meaningless distraction from the real work that needs to get done.
A point of transparency: I know Sen. Lautenberg and have for many years. When I grew up in Berkeley Heights, my parents were active in state and national politics. I was 17 when the senator was first elected and my parents could not have been prouder. They had also grown up in working class Jewish families and were proud to see someone who built a successful business now turn his attention to public service.What could be better? Over the years the refrain of “Dan, did you hear what Senator Lautenberg just did?” was heard over and over from them. And for good reason; Sen. Lautenberg has, time and again, stood up for those most vulnerable in our society.
When I first came to my synagogue, Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange, in 1992, I was surprised to find that it had as its member, Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Early on, he invited me to join him and open a session of the Senate. It was one of the great honors of my life, and I could not have been prouder, especially since, at that very moment, my senator was at the forefront of breaking the tobacco industry’s stranglehold over our nation.
It is against that backdrop that I write this letter. Because, quite simply, the recent barrage against Sen. Lautenberg has been unfairly harsh and inappropriate. The senator has a long and distinguished record of philanthropy, leadership, and good works. To refer to him — a WWII veteran who has served in the Senate with distinction for nearly 30 years — as a “partisan hack” or to obliquely and in a rather brash manner suggest the senator is too old to serve is unbecoming the governor of the Garden State. (And, having spoken with the senator numerous times in recent months, I can state with certainty that the man is not too old for anything!)
I have no issue with Gov. Christie criticizing the senator’s voting record. None. And I have no issue with him debating their differences on the current university merger. None. The two men come from different ends of the political spectrum and as a result they have widely divergent views on both the role of government and various social issues. It is that tension, that difference of approach and viewpoint, that can make America great. But that will not happen, it cannot happen, when one side or the other resorts to name-calling, bullying, and spurious attacks that detract from the real substantive issues.
The rabbis of the Mishna taught, “An argument which is for the sake of Heaven (i.e., worthy of debate) will have a positive outcome, and an argument which is not for the sake of Heaven will not have a positive outcome.” When, time and again, we resort to the lowest form of discourse in the public arena, is there any doubt what the outcome will be?
Rabbi Daniel M. Cohen
Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel
South Orange
April 25, 2012
In February, my family and I attended the first “Shabbat L’Kulam,” at Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston, for families with children who have special needs, led by Cantor Sharon Knoller. We had a great time, and it was a very nice experience. There were musical instruments, and the kids were encouraged to get up, dance, sing, explore the space, and join in prayer. We have continued to attend because it offers a safe place for parents who might otherwise be reluctant to bring their children to services, without the worries of distracting other congregants.
Last month we also attended the synagogue’s Purim Carnival. Continuing their pioneering efforts to reach out to the special needs community, they opened their doors one hour earlier for families with children with special needs, so that the noise level would be lower, and it would be less crowded. The rest of the community respected this time frame, and no one tried to “crash” early. They had a room with a “bouncy house,” providing a support to meet the needs of children with sensory integration dysfunction. There were classrooms designated as a “Quiet Room” and a “Loud Room” so that kids with SI-related disorders would have a quiet place to relax and do arts and crafts if the noise of the carnival became too overwhelming. My family was accompanied by my friend and Beth Shalom congregant Heather Sorkin and her two daughters, who served as “shadows” for both of my kids, which made the experience that much easier for me as a parent.
I applaud Beth Shalom’s continued efforts to provide inclusive programming for me and my family, including my son who is diagnosed with autism. Now we know we have a synagogue community where we feel very welcomed. In my opinion, when it comes to families with children who have special needs, it is very simple: a synagogue can either close the door, or open it. When the door is closed, that family who is trying to raise their children as Jews may be lost. When the door is opened, that same family will become engaged in the community. Temple Beth Shalom clearly has chosen to open that door. They are trying hard to accommodate families with special needs, giving them a point of entry into Jewish life. Kol hakavod!
Stefanie Cohen-Santiago
West Orange
April 25, 2012
Re “Pro-Hitler satire targets Rutgers Jewish activist,”
April 10
The vile op-ed praising Hitler, which The Medium, a Rutgers University student paper, published and falsely attributed to Rutgers student Aaron Marcus, is just the latest in a series of anti-Semitic attacks on Mr. Marcus. Other Jewish students have been victimized on campus as well. Rutgers’ response to campus anti-Semitism has been so abysmal that students supported a civil rights complaint against the university filed by the Zionist Organization of America. The complaint is currently being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to determine whether Rutgers violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
Recently, Rutgers formed an “Advisory Council on Jewish Student Life,” and invited Jewish campus and community leaders to participate. The first meeting is on April 25, 2012. We assume this Council was formed at least in part to show the community — and the Office for Civil Rights — that Rutgers is in fact adequately addressing Jewish students’ concerns.
Several deeply troubling issues should be first and foremost on the Council’s agenda.
• Aaron Marcus has been subjected to several repeated anti-Semitic attacks that have not been adequately resolved. One student threatened Mr. Marcus’ life, an infraction considered so severe that it could warrant even expulsion from the university. Why didn’t Rutgers thoroughly investigate the incident and why was the wrongdoer simply given a warning?
• Mr. Marcus was physically threatened and subjected to anti-Semitic name-calling by a university employee, the Outreach Coordinator for Rutgers’ Middle East Studies Center. How in the world is the Outreach Coordinator still employed at Rutgers? And how is Rutgers remedying the problem that Jewish pro-Israel students do not feel welcome at the Center?
• Jewish and pro-Israel students were discriminated against at an Israel-bashing campus event sponsored by a student group called BAKA. The event was supposed to be free and open to the public. But when large numbers of Jewish and pro-Israel activists came to protest, an admissions fee was suddenly imposed and selectively enforced against anyone perceived to be Jewish and pro-Israel. Everyone else got in for free. BAKA sponsored the event, advertised it as free, and enforced the discriminatory policy. Why hasn’t Rutgers held BAKA accountable? And why didn’t Rutgers investigate and resolve all of the bias complaints that Jewish students filed in response to the discrimination they suffered, which violated university policy?
We urge the Council members to insist that Rutgers leadership address all these problems. The failure to do so thus far surely helped create a campus environment that made it permissible for The Medium to target and publicly ridicule a Jewish student simply because he is vocal about his support for Israel.
The Council should call on Rutgers to commit to a university-wide campaign to end campus anti-Semitism. That means first publicly acknowledging that the problem exists and has caused great harm and pain to members of the community. It means publicly condemning campus anti-Semitism whenever it occurs, and also condemning the perpetrators. It means educating the university community about the meaning and effect of anti-Semitism, which includes the demonization and delegitimization of Israel. And it means committing to finally redressing the wrongs that have been committed against Jewish students at Rutgers, consistent with the rules and values of the university, as well as the requirements of the law.
Susan B. Tuchman, Esq.
Director, Center for Law and Justice
Zionist Organization of America
New York, NY
Editor’s note: A commentary by Mort Klein and Susan Tuchman on the use of Title VI appears here.
April 25, 2012
Re “Out of focus,”
April 18
We are writing to clarify what was written about the Drew University Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study in the cover story of the April 19 issue. The article, “Out of Focus?,” left the impression that because the Drew Center changed its name from Center for Holocaust Study to Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study in 2001, we have deemphasized the Holocaust as an atrocity aimed at the Jewish people, or that we have pushed a focus on the Holocaust aside. Nothing could be further than the truth. It is regrettable that the reporter did not take the time or opportunity to contact us and learn about our philosophy and practice.
First, our programming remains rooted in the Holocaust. We present an annual November conference commemorating Kristallnacht, an event aimed exclusively at the assault on Jewish people, and an annual spring Yom HaShoa event. At our most recent Yom HaShoa program on April 18, we hosted over 500 middle and high school students and their teachers at a screening of the film, Secret Lives: Hidden Children and their Rescuers during World War II, a film that tells the heart-wrenching story of children who were given away by their parents to other families in order to save their lives. In some cases, the parents survived and were able to reunite with their children after the war; in some cases not. What could be more iconic of the assault on Jews than parents desperate to give away their children in order to save them?
Second, we want to emphasize that for us study of other genocides does not obscure the uniqueness and distinctiveness of the Holocaust. Just the opposite; it actually highlights the ways in which the Holocaust is unique. As the distinguished Holocaust scholar, Michael Berenbaum, wrote in response to Jewish concerns about studying the non-Jewish victims of the Holocaust, “Only by understanding the fate of others…where it paralleled the Jewish experience and more importantly where it differed, can the distinctive character of the Jewish fate as a matter of historical fact be demonstrated.” We believe this is also evident in the study of comparative genocide.
Finally, it is important to note that what we learn about the Holocaust can be used to help us understand how other genocides evolve and their impact on survivors. To paraphrase Ervin Staub, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Massachusetts (and himself a survivor, rescued by Raoul Wallenberg), what better way is there to honor Holocaust survivors than to use what we have learned about the Holocaust to help others who have been similarly victimized — and even further to help prevent the victimization in the first place. Consistent with this view, our Center mission stems from the moral imperative articulated by the poet John Donne: “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”
We agree with the editorial in the same issue of NJJN, which suggests that, when given the choice of exclusive focus on the Jewish experience during the Holocaust and the broadening of focus to include other genocides, “perhaps the only resolution lies in our ability to live, and teach, in the space between the two sides.” We at the Drew University Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study live in that space between the two sides — that’s what the “/” in our name is all about.
Ann Saltzman
Professor Emerita, Psychology
Director
Joshua Kavaloski
Associate Professor of German Studies
Assistant Director
Drew University Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study
Madison
April 25, 2012
Re “Out of focus,”
April 18
Thank you for your timely and excellent article, “Out of Focus,” (April 19) which points out the blurring of the message of the Shoa’s distinctiveness among the genocides that have been perpetuated on many peoples throughout history. While all genocides are an abomination and each have their own particular characteristics, the Holocaust remains in a singular category.
Johanna Ginsberg addresses what Holocaust scholar Deborah Lipstadt terms “soft” Holocaust denial. “Hard” denial is the absolute rejection of the existence of the Holocaust occurring, or trivializing it as an exaggeration of actual events. Soft denial is the redefining of the Holocaust as one of many genocides and disallowing or minimizing its uniqueness. This is a more pervasive and subtle form of Holocaust denial that is practiced knowingly and unknowingly by many people, leaders, and scholars. It is often present in the arguments of those with an anti-Israel position which ignores the Holocaust as one of the precursor rationales for the forming of the Jewish state.
As Lipstadt and Emil Fackenheim have pointed out, the extermination of the Jewish people was unique in that it was an existential genocide carried out as an end in itself. The Final Solution was a result of the ideology of the Nazis and occurred in a modern culturally sophisticated nation. It was a policy of the state and was carried out by average citizens in what Hannah Arendt termed “the banality of evil.” It is the only time in recorded history that this has happened. Focusing on the uniqueness of the Holocaust does not elevate its status (if such a thing could be done), nor does it detract from other occurrences of mass annihilation. When we lose sight of the differences between any of these events, we risk losing interest in them as a whole. It becomes “just another episode” in the expression of man’s inhumanity to man.
There is another form of Holocaust denial that exists among Jews: The decision to avoid talking about the Shoa or engaging in Holocaust education because it is a topic that is felt to be too uncomfortable and too upsetting for our children and ourselves. This I believe is a mistake.
My father taught me that the Holocaust teaches us Jews several things. As it was a racially motivated atrocity, we can never tolerate racism as we see where it can ultimately lead. Second, no matter how some of us may think of ourselves as “not Jewish,” the world has a say in deciding who it defines as Jewish. We must be proud of our identity as Jews. Lastly, we can never let the world forget, because it will want to. We can’t turn our heads and allow genocides, mass killings, and other atrocities go unspoken for or acted upon. Embracing and studying our history is the best way to strengthen ourselves, to develop tolerance, and to seek justice for all people.
David Graber
Chair, Holocaust Education Committee
Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael
Springfield
April 12, 2012
I have received many e-mails from friends and organizations asking me to “Stand With Israel.” And yet I have heard little from Israelis or even American Jews about the way Obama has put Israel in jeopardy. Thanks to Obama, Israel has been transformed from a dangerous but manageable situation to one where they are now totally surrounded by hostile Muslim radicals. Obama has essentially sealed Israel’s fate. As an American who recognizes the importance of the survival of Israel, I’m even more concerned about the economic survival of America.
Obama has done everything in his power to sabotage our energy resources and spend money we don’t have. Until Israel and prominent American Jews help make Obama a one-term president, then why should I agonize over Israel’s fate? If Obama is reelected and carries out his promise of bending over backwards for the Russians, he will make even more deals that weaken both Israel and America. America will be so debt-ridden that we couldn’t help Israel at all.
This is the time for American Jews to fish or cut bait. If Obama gets four more years, then both America and Israel will be toast.
Joseph DuPont
Towanda, Pa.
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