Rabbi Bogage & David Eisner Speak at Mesa State's Holocaust Awareness Week
Our own Rabbi Lew Bogage discussed "Holocausts Historical and Contemporary: An American Rabbi's Persective on How We Can Learn from and Prevent Them" during Holocaust Awareness Week 2010 at Mesa State College on April 16. While several from the Ohr Shalom Congregation attended there was also a fair representation from the student body.
As the Rabbi spoke, a large movie screen of the liberation of many concentration camps played continually in the background. There were the horrifying images we have all seen before as well as new footage recently obtained. Rabbi said, "you will probably find yourself looking at this, then looking away. Looking, then looking away." It never stopped.
What was so inspiring and different about this speech (to this observer at least)? It was the focus on the individual. Yes, millions and millions and millions had perished. Almost too large an number to comprehend. But at the individual level, Rabbi Bogage urged us to see how each person was denied not only his or her physical freedoms but hygenic needs, socialization needs, personal identity (e.g., when stripped of hair, clothing, possessions) and even their names when emblazoned with a tatoo. So why did any of the Jews maintain the struggle to survive under such conditions? Rabbi Bogage believes it was to bear witness of this horrificness, to maintain any ounce of dignity they could manage, to urge others to wake up in the morning and face just one more day together even though it might be their last. To give up would have meant almost certain death.
Rabbi Bogage also recommended three books for those who wish to continue learning about the Holocaust. They are: "IBM in the Holocaust" by Black, "The Survivor" by Des Pres, and "Survival in Auschwitz" a diary by Primo Levi.
David Eisner continued the topic of genecide into contemporary spheres: primarily Darfur, Africa where the situation is still grim.
Education in the Schools
Members of OSDAC are working on a school ciriculum to help District 51 with education on both The Holocaust and on Darfur. In April 2007, Kathleen presented to Redlands Middle School on her families experience in the Holocaust and Wendy and Gail presented on Darfur.
West Middle School's 8th grade History and Lit class with Ms. Flick studied Darfur in their Africa unit. A student orgainized a school wide coin war and raised $600 for solar cookits. We lent them our solar cookit unit so they could understand what their money raised is going for.
Darfur Awareness
With the help of our passionate congregant Diana, Our Social Action committee is becoming involved with raising awareness of the genocide in Darfur. In February, 07, a committee of interested congregants met to look at a slide presentation and decide what we can do to help.
The Social Action Committee met to discuss the crisis in Darfur and how, as Jews, we can respond. We agree that as people of conscience we must breath life into the lesson of the Holocaust: "never again and not on my watch."
While we can't end the crisis in Darfur, it was decided we can tie in our annual Yom Hashoah service on April 15, with Darfur in an attempt to raise awareness. We will participate in a yellow candlelight vigil. If you are interested in becoming involved in this project, please contact Diana.
"As Jews we cannot be silent in the face of genocide. "Never again" applies to all peoples. We believe the experience of the Holocaust has taught us to fight against the systematic destruction of innocent people anywhere in the world." Gail G.
Jewish World Watch
Our fundraising efforts are in two areas. Our main objective is to raise funds to buy solar cook units for the women in the refuge camps in Chad. Click here to learn more about the cookit project. Only $30.00 buys a family 2 needed cook units, one for rice and the other for sauces. This allows the women to not have to go outside their camp to collect firewood and face the possibility of rape and murder. $15.00 buys a family one solar cook unit.
