Winter International 2011 Developments

News from Remember Us

In this issue: Winter International 2011 developments

“So long as we live they too shall live, for they are part of us as we remember them” Righteous Conversations: ATeen Initiative Remember Us The Holocaust Bnai Mitzvah Project

About Remember Us Remember Us: The Holocaust Bnai Mitzvah Project offers an invitation to each child preparing for bar/bat mitzvah: remember one specific child who was lost in the Holocaust, and act for the good in memory of that child. We provide the names, and suggest ways for young people and their families to express their commitment to mem- ory: dedicating their Torah reading, doing mitzvot and tikkun olam in the name of the child, lighting yahrzeit candles, etc.

Board of Directors Michael Berenbaum, PhD othing gives us more pleasure than to tell opportunity to make a significant step in Gesher Calmenson, Founder Nour readers that our original concept of Judaism through how we shape remem- remembrance is being embraced, owned, and brance. The ad hoc group of teens is being Ruth Goldberg evolved by participating families. In Los fully supported and encouraged by their moth- Samara Hutman, President Angeles a committee of teens has formed to ers and family friends. Harry Pelz sponsor events that bring Holocaust survivors Remember Us acknowledges the great work Barbara Tobin, MPH and teens together for what is being called of conceptualization and actualization being Righteous Conversations. The themes are com- done by the adult committee: Cece Feiler, Current Status plex and important: What do the survivors Helen Jacobs–Lepor, Sheryl Sokoloff, Rochel expect from the rising generations? What do Blachman, and Susan Gotlib. The teens who Over 16,000 children have received the teens want to tell the survivors while they are spearheading this nascent movement are names from Remember Us, in more than 600 congregations in 39 states still have the chance? What is the role of Rebecca Hutman, Lara Sokoloff, Marissa and 8 countries. Participation is Holocaust memory in forming the identities of Lepor, and Jamie Feiler. Remember Us Board voluntary. There is no charge. The people who were not there? What role does Member Michael Berenbaum is advising the concept has been endorsed by all Holocaust memory have in inspiring empower- committee. Survivors Marie Kaufman and Jewish denominations. ment and tikkun olam, repair of the world? Helen Freeman are sharing their insights, wis- From the original seed of an idea, the dom, and concerns on behalf of the survivor Righteous Conversations are developing into a community. Documentarian film maker Jessica program of public events, workshops, and a Sanders and Harvard-Westlake film depart- Remember Us: The Holocaust documentary film. This splendid development ment head Cheri Gaulke will mentor the stu- Bnai Mitzvah Project is centered around families from Harvard- dents who will be filming these conversation 2777 Yulupa Avenue, #273 Westlake School. Remember Us Board on behalf of future generations. History Santa Rosa, CA 95405-8584 President Samara Hutman and her daughter teacher Dror Yaron is the faculty sponsor for (707) 570-2883 Rebecca Hutman have brought together a an event at Harvard-Westlake. [email protected] group of families to further this work. Some In our Spring 2011 newsletter we plan to www.remember-us.org families have a direct connection to the report on some of the answers generated in News from Remember Us is published bi- Holocaust experience, and others recognize response to the timely, vital questions that annually through a grant from the Charles that, in this decade that will see the passing of these young women and their mothers are and Mildred Schnurmacher Foundation the last survivor generation, we have the engaging on behalf of the Jewish future. ■ 2 Winter 2011 News from Remember Us Reflections from Israel and Germany

Read the complete series of messages of Israel. I disagree. For me Israel is truly a from Israel on the Remember Us website. miracle, an unprecedented, glorious accomplishment, fulfillment of the promise of millennia, a complex, roiling modern state being built daily by vision, courage, and sacrifice—warm, vulnerable, humor- ous, tough, alive. Its existence is connected to the German experience, but I’m unwill- ing to attribute our homeland’s rebirth to the crazed history of that century. Our whole story of survival is so much larg- er. In Germany my understanding of our experienced deepened, and I came away First-graders in Jerusalem perform for their mindful of the ways that, through group parents at a celebration for receiving their trance, madness can masquerade as reason- first Torah workbook. able behavior. For myself personally, in Israel I learned much more about my ing understanding of our shared individual grandmother and aunt who were murdered responsibility. Afterward I jotted down this in Lithuania, and I went to Germany feel- idea after touring the new museum. Street sign on one corner of the Holocaust ing more sensitized to the sources of their awful fate. I’m glad I went to Germany Memorial in Berlin. Eating lunch in the café reinforced by my delight, appreciation, and Watching the esteem for what has been created by our Sleek scarred fat coiffed lithe broken faith and love. n Germany, our first stop had a moving Jews Ipersonal connection. The Holocaust Walking up and down the stairs Memorial in Berlin is bounded on one side I think: the museum needs by Cora Berliner Strasse. Cora Berliner was One more thing, the great-aunt of Barbara Tobin, one of the Next to the last exhibit two people who started Remember Us. A MIRROR Barbara’s daughter Cora, her namesake, you have to pass by, was one of the first children to participate and a sign for each of us to read: in Remember Us and now, a college stu- HINENI, I am here. dent, maintains our data records. The sen- ior Cora was deeply involved in Kindertransport. She chose to stay in Berlin rather than join her family in the United States, and is believed to have died in Bergen-Belsen. Her great-nieces continue, in their own appropriate fashion, the work for which she sacrificed her life. Often people have commented that we did the trip backwards, that it would have been better to see the Holocaust sites in Germany first and then see the apotheosis

Sachsenhausen, the first concentration and extermination camp.

At Yad Vashem I had an extraordinaery experience of being the only person in the Children’s Monument, alone with the myri- ad candles and the quiet voice reading aloud the names. It had the air of a myth— trepidation, awe, inspiration. Something The Valley of the Communities at Yad Vashem The Holocaust Memorial in Berlin. changed from being there alone, a deepen- in Jerusalem. News from Remember Us Winter 2011 3 Expanding Remember Us Participation in Israel and Beyond n outreach trip to Israel in June 2010 opportunity to bring the Remember Us con- Aproduced the opportunity to establish cept to the international leadership of Remember Us nationwide in Israel. In a Masorti Olami, which serves the land often fractured by disagreement and Conservative Movement worldwide, and struggling for unifying ideas, the positive World Union for Progressive Judaism, serv- Israeli response to the Remember Us con- ing the same function for the Reform move- cept was remarkable; it was universally ment outside of Israel and America. embraced across the spectrum of education- Remember Us affirmed its commitment to al and religious institutions. We attribute support their efforts to bring the Remember the enthusiastic reception to three factors. Us concept to their international constituen- ■ Holocaust remembrance is a national cies. A Spanish-language version of the web commitment in Israel, and Remember Us site will be implemented this coming Spring. The trip was generously funded by an is seen as adding a personal layer of Doorway to Education Ministry, Petach Upstart Bay Area mini-grant and private meaning and connection on a child-by- Tiqwa, Israel. child basis. donations. ■ ■ The concept is seen by all as an idea on which everyone can agree. Remember Us The first step in creating a portal for is recognized as the ritualization of mem- Israeli participation has been to create the ory without a commitment to any one Hebrew name of the project—Zichru particular practice. It is equally evocative Otanu. This Fall we launched a Hebrew Introducing ITS, the for secular Israelis and religious Israeli website. Individual requests for names to Jews of all persuasions. remember from bnai mitzvah families in International Tracing ■ Remember Us presents this history in a Israel are now quickly fulfilled online. way that levels the differences between The Israeli educational system is another Service in Germany ethnicities and backgrounds. While potentially significant partner. We identified n a very small village in Germany there is Ashkenazi Jews share the history of the vehicles for integrating the Remember Us a remarkable institution that has worked Holocaust, Sephardic, Yemenite, and concept into existing school curricula. The I for sixty years to shed light on the individ- Ethiopian communities do not have the Israeli school system is divided into multi- ual fates of those caught up in the same personal history of the Holocaust in ple schemes (which is the Israeli concept Holocaust. We are honored to intoduce their family backgrounds. for networks). Each has its own unique you to one of our partner organizations, During the three-week trip, founder approach, ranging from curriculum to full the International Tracing Service (ITS). Gesher Calmenson met with Israeli educa- architectural solutions that both combine In its mission statement, ITS declares its tional, civic, government and religious and separate religious education and secu- commitment to serve the victims of Nazi leadership, as well as representatives of lar education. Some of these schemes are persecution and their families by docu- international Jewry. The trip opened the interested in incorporating Remember Us menting and evaluating the fate of the vic- door for Remember Us to become an inter- into their curriculum in sixth and seventh tims and maintaining this information in national program embraced by Jews world- grade programs. Leadership from the its archives. The archive’s collections are wide. Golan School District expressed their com- unique in scope and significance. ITS is mitment to incorporating responsible for preserving historical Remember Us into the records, processing tracing requests and schools in their district, making the archive accessible for historical across scheme. An appropri- research. Through the dedicated help of ate anchor point in their 7th ITS staff, these records still help to shed grades is the Shoreshim light on the fate of many. The staff of the (family roots) program. Each International Tracing Service support student creates a family research and offer comprehensive help to album. Remember Us may visitors who wish to work with our provide a name to be archives. remembered by each student At the end of World War 2, Nazi and included in the archives were collected in the Allied Zones Shoreshim family album. of Germany and placed in a central reposi- Translating bios provided in tory, administered by the International Red English into Hebrew will be Cross. (A similar cache was also created by a curricular activity. the Soviets.) In the last 60 years over 50 In addition to the Israel million documents have been digitized and focus of the trip, we had the Continued on page 5 4 Winter 2011 News from Remember Us

Web Enhancements Make Ordering, Research Easier nhancements to the Remember Us deepening understanding. Participants can congregation requests for program materi- Ewebsite (www.remember-us.org) now find national and local resources relat- als. Participants can individually request a include a comprehensive “Ideas” page, ed to Holocaust education, information on name to remember and/or register a name online request form, and order forms to how to do online research on specific they have received from their congrega- increase program access, streamline com- names, as well as hear personal testi- tion, as well as order personalized materi- munications, and provide valuable monies. To encourage participants to use als including certificates and pamphlets to resources to student participants, their memory as a catalyst for positive action in share with their guests. Congregations can families, clergy and educators. today’s word, the website includes register to participate in Remember Us or The revised and updated “Ideas” page resources for identifying mitzvah projects. order materials to distribute to their bnai includes a range of options for honoring a Opportunities and suggestions for continu- mitzvah. remembered child. Age-appropriate links ing post-bnai mitzvah involvement in A secure online donation option is avail- related to the Holocaust and options for Holocaust memory are also available. able. All Remember Us services are offered further research about the remembered The new online order forms are free of charge and we depend on voluntary child provide additional opportunities for intended to streamline individual and gifts from participating families. ■

New Participating Communities Remember Us welcomes the following communities at which the Remember Us Project is made available to bar/bat mitzvah students. May they go from strength to strength. Australia United Kingdom Connecticut Cambridge Ohio Sydney Stanmore Putnam Congregation Etz Hudson Chabad House Stanmore and Cannons Congregation B’nai Chayim Temple Beth Shalom Park United Shalom Kahal B’raira Sandusky Canada Synagogue Sharon Oheb Shalom Temple Florida Congregation Klal Quebec Solon United States Jacksonville Yisrael Congregation Kol Cote St. Luc Beth Shalom of America Temple Sinai Chadash Beth Zion Congregation Congregation Arizona Westborough Tempe Pennsylvania Ontario Georgia Congregation B’nai London Temple Emanuel Shalom Brookmann Norcross Congregation Beth El- Temple Israel of London Belmont California Chabad Enrichment Ner Tamid Ottawa Center of Gwinnett Beth El Temple Center Camarillo Easton Or Haneshamah Temple Ner Ami Illinois New Jersey Beit Simcha Nova Scotia Chatsworth Northbrook Cherry Hill New Hope Halifax Chabad of Chatsworth Temple Beth-El Temple Beth Shalom Kehilat Hanahar Shaar Shalom Hermosa Beach Northfield Closter Newtown Congregation Temple Shalom of the Am Yisrael Congregation Sha’ar Congregation Brothers South Bay Flemington of Israel Israel Los Angeles Maryland Or Chadash Temple Rhode Island Modiin Steven S. Wise Temple Bethesda River Edge Barrington Kehillat Yozma University Synagogue Beth Chai Congregation Temple Avodat Shalom Ra’anana Northridge Congregation Beth El of Temple Habonim Ra’anana Masorti Temple Ahavat Shalom Montgomery County New York South Carolina Synagogue Palm Desert Fulton Riverdale Tel Aviv Congregation Tehillah Charleston Temple Sinai Temple Isaiah Fulton Synagogue Emanuel Kehillat Beit Tefilah San Francisco Kensington Brooklyn Israeli Or Shalom Jewish Temple Emanuel Madison Jewish Center Texas Community Pikesville Plainview Beaumont Mexico Temple Chaverim Tecamachalco, Mexico City Tustin Chizuk Amuno Temple Emanuel Suffern Comunidad Sefardi Congregation B’nai Congregation Israel Chabad of Suffern Virginia South Africa Valley Village Massachusetts Syosset Virginia Beach Johannesburg Temple Beth Hillel Amherst Northshore Synagogue Temple Emanuel Jewish Community of Tarrytown Greenside Hebrew Walnut Creek Wisconsin Amherst MA Temple Beth Abraham Congregation Congregation B’nai Mequon Tikvah Brookline Young Israel of Congregation Shir Riverside Brookline MA Hadash Temple Beth El News from Remember Us Winter 2011 5

International Tracing Service Wisconsin Initiative Creates Continued from page 3 Local Remember Us Council cross-indexed. A researcher can instantly purred by the enthusiastic response to did this, they discovered that many had find anyone mentioned in the records, Sthe Remember Us Wisconsin Initiative, family members who were affected by the which include transports, forced labor and its 50+ participants in the first 3 years, Holocaust. camps, and ghettos. The archive has been the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust The second focus of the discussion was invaluable in connecting people and also in Education Resource Center (HERC) has on developing special programs for establishing documentation for claims and created a local Remember Us Project Remember Us students. Among the sugges- reparations. The entire cost is borne by the Council. Chaired by Remember Us partici- tions were a trip to the new Illinois German government. pant Hilary Miller and her mother, Felicia Holocaust Museum. Another suggestion “We are deeply moved by the important Miller, and staffed by Bonnie Shafrin, HERC was to create an art project that each RU work being done here,” said Cynthia Director, the Council serves a dual purpose. participant could choose to take part in. Calmenson. “It cannot be an easy task The first is to have RU students serve as The form for this might be the creation of to engage that level of human suffering day the liaisons to the synagogues and schools a quilt square or a ceramic tile that would after day.” As children do research on the on behalf of RU in order to educate pre- feature the name of the child remembered, lost children, they often raise questions bar/bat mitzvah students about RU and to the bar/bat mitzvah student and maybe the about their own family history, reports promote the program by sharing their own date of the bar/bat mitzvah. These could be Calmenson. “This promotes dialogue positive experiences. The second purpose displayed somewhere in the community. between generations and at the same time is to create programs to enhance the expe- Another idea was to have each synagogue the healing process in families which were riences of the Remember Us students. The also do their own project each year, for themselves affected.” ITS has pledged its Council, easily replicated in other commu- instance, a sign board that would include future support for the Remember Us proj- nities, can serve as a model for both mar- each bar/bat mitzvah student and who they ect, thereby offering its help to young peo- keting the program and providing post- remembered. One parent noted the effec- ple researching a lost child´s background bnai mitzvah opportunities for students tiveness of the empty chair, set aside at her and persecution history. and their families. son’s bar mitzvah. It could be possible for The Remember Us team visited the staff The initial meeting of the RU Council students to create chairs for this purpose at of International Tracing Service in July to was attended by past participants and their each synagogue. view personally view the holdings and parents representing three synagogues. The The final agenda item that the Council work with the ITS staff on remembrance discussion focused on ways to “get the discussed was mechanism for encouraging issues of mutual interest. We recommend word out and create a buzz” in order to RU participation in the community Yom this visit to any one who will be in western increase participation among Jewish stu- HaShoah commemoration. Among the Germany, they are warm and dedicated dents. Among the suggestions offered to opportunities for involvement considered people doing remarkable work. ■ accomplish this were 1) to have students by the overall community, Yom Hashoah who have already participated in RU act as areas are to have RU students serve as ambassadors to speak to younger students mentors for younger students attending the at the synagogues and Jewish schools special inter-generational program that will could be an effective tool, 2) to have both be part of the local Yom Hashoah com- students and parents speak to bar/bat mitz- memoration, and to be included in the vah class or group meetings where both candle lighting service at Yom Hashoah. To students and their parents’ were present increase participation, the Council recom- since most young people might choose to mended personal follow-up to the formal participate in RU with parent support and letter of invitation that is sent to all RU encouragement, and 3) a program/speaker participants. for the Middle School students at the The Council is currently working on a Milwaukee Jewish Day School to present series of next steps, which include talking RU as an opportunity for a mitzvah proj- points to be written to provide a frame- ect. Facebook was also considered a mech- work for RU students speaking to bar/bat anism to reach out to students. mitzvah students at synagogues and Hannah Sprung and Hilary Miller, both schools, a mission statement for the 8th grade students at MJDS expressed that Wisconsin Remember Us Project Council participating in RU in 7th grade made created with input from students and studying about the Holocaust more mean- adults, and a Facebook page for the ingful in 8th grade. Hilary spoke about Wisconsin Initiative. ■ Children's records at ITS. visualizing what her RU child (Lina Gerson z”l) went through as they learned about aspects of the Holocaust. Hannah also stated that she felt that all students should participate in ancestry-related proj- ects because when many of her classmates 6 Winter 2011 News from Remember Us Our Sincere Thanks to These Supporters of the Remember Us Project

FOUNDATIONS Diana Lerner ILLINOIS Ralph & Leslie Floyd Marc, Judith & Samantha Larry Lovercheck Jeffrey & Karen Davis Ann & Jerome Forman Felgoise Bader Foundation Dean & Judith Meltz Inna & Lev Elterman Lori Garber Seth & Ellen Grant Beran Foundation Clara Mikowski & Ari Laura Hartman Stephanie Gottdenker Karen Kaplan & A.M. Berenbaum Group Hoffman Debra Kamensky-Zide Kevin & Suzanne Grady Shatzman Dozer Foundation Michele Paskow David & Lyn Kaufman Shari Leventhal Blythe Pemberton Moran J & R Popp Philanthropic Richard & Janis Popp Lauren Marwil Robert & Mana Levine Bobbi & Jay Rosan Fund Carl Riefler Thomas & Andrea Odishoo Aaron Levy Karen & Leonard Rosenfeld Pelz Family Foundation Irina & Michael Rivkin Sylvain & Judy Siboni John & Joan Thalheimer Schnurmacher Foundation Jerry & Michelle Robins MARYLAND Stephen & Jean Zivitz Tauber Foundation Helaynesharon Stephen & Dorothy NEW MEXICO Adam & Tamson Zucker Ed & Beth Silverman Brenner Barbara & Mark Devolder Main Line Reform Temple CANADA Jill Silverman Jeffrey & Debra Dalin NEVADA RHODE ISLAND Lawrence & Jami Simons Jill Cohen NOVA SCOTIA Jacobo & Margarita Perri Leviss Mark Snyder Raijman Stacy Schwartz MASSACHUSETTS Deborah Sosobee Melanie & Michael & Sivan SOUTH CAROLINA NEW YORK OTTOWA Helga Spizman Amir Milton & Eileen Brenner Lois Cohn Janice Singer Marlene Stein Adele & Oscar Epstein Lara Leroy Nathan & Denise Eisler Jonathan & Susan Sweedler Tamara Fellman Mark & Karen Pinosky Julie Fegan Claire Taylor Jennifer Goldstein MEXICO Michael & Julie Fegan TENNESSEE Leah Tessler Robert Kann & Carol Noreen Holder Eduardo Saltiel Barbara Tobin & Cass Harris David & Lisa Galina Jennifer Gersh Isaac Soffer Smith Cheryl Meadow TEXAS Celia Haft Renee Urman Reva Newfield Lori Alter Susan & Jeffrey Kessler UNITED STATES David & Lynn Rudick Gilian & Steven Baron CONNECTICUT Randy & Jill Kiewe Jill Salamon Mark & Marci Frenkel ARIZONA Dianne Berenbaum Sue King Judith Shriber Tobin Johnson Catherine & Jeff Gensler Dianne Debonis Michelle Marrone Alan Stern Ellen Mayers Dominick & Gail Debonis Rande Miro CALIFORNIA Jay & Linda Stiller Garry & Rachelle Okowita Jennifer Esslinger Steven & Moscovitz & Margot Okowita Michael Berenbaum Edward Fenwick & Miriam MICHIGAN Michele Krebs Moscovitz Cynthia Shipper Joshua Boneh Messe Julie Backalar Michelle Perlzweig Sonya Shor Lynne Brookman Suzy, Lewis & Ruth Jill Hart Olga Pincus Rachel Smith Leonard & Phillis Goldberg Jan & Michael Planit Chassman MINNESOTA Molly Sternberg Harvey Kulawitz Lucille Roussin Stacie & David Cherner Marc Berg Jean Tolmas James & Michele Lenes Robert & Barbara Singer Congregation Emanu-El Lawrence Miller Jill Brazner Stella Skura VIRGINIA Jaime Davidorf Sandi, Russ & Jerry Prince Jon D. Marker Paula Smith Linda & Dennis Weiss Leonard Dick Laura & Robert Minnihan Allison Reznik Susan Smith Melissa & Evan Dorval Noah & Kim Swiler Susan & Michael Richter Donna Wexler WASHINGTON Paula Duran Douglas & Karen Leroy Jon & Sara Sobel MISSOURI Rachel Zelman Alan Epstein Kenneth & Sharon Sobel Jeff Matloff Jeffrey & Debra Dalin Mary Zitwer-Millman Cecelia & Bill Feiler Martin & Terry Ullman Laura Tranin & Alan Paul Rabbi Ted Feldman NORTH CAROLINA OHIO Greenstein FLORIDA Daniel & Nina Fendel Rita & Jack Gartner Erick & Erica Remer WISCONSIN Catherine & Jeff Gensler Kathleen Cohn Adrienne Siegel NEW HAMPSHIRE Gerald & Brynn Bloch Yossi & Tamar Fendel Steven & Jodi Hahn OREGON Stephanie & Mark Goodman Family Jennifer & Daniel Kaufman David & Leslie Greiner Tracy Northfield Goldstein Lily Harouni Susana Klein Shirley Lelchuk Peter Thacker & Lynn Tyler Harry & Marilyn Pelz Joanne & Herbert Hein Kenneth & Faye Merritt, Jr. Abner Taub & Liliane Sznycer Ayala Zonnenschein Susan Townsley Raphael Hoch Nancy Rubin Katz Medical Associates Rabbi Marc Sirinsky Samara Hutman NEW JERSEY OTHER USA Stephanie Jacobs GEORGIA Lori Banton PENNSYLVANIA Charles Hallac & Sarah Keil Melissa Jason Lee Altschuler Barry Belfer Steve & Marci Blum Wolf Stephanie & Brian Kaplan J. Leitz Samuel & Deborah Beran Peggy Carver Brian Singerman Jordan & Cindy Kort E. Steinberg Lisa & Jeffrey Chikis Philip & Elaine Cohen Beth & Barry Sokol Erin Leeds Margo Drucker Burton & Anita Swerdin