Voices

(Founded in 1920) The Jewish Press We remember Abby Kutler President ANNETTE VAN DE KAMP-WRIGHT than 95% of Lithuanian Jewry was murdered, keep the memories alive. Annette van de Kamp-Wright Editor Jewish Press Editor Jan. 27 was International Holocaust rememmostly by locals and often by followers of the two leaders.” (JTA.com) Marking one day a year is obviously not going to do it. We need more, we need a constant, living Richard Busse brance Day, which always makes me wonder: what I want to be surprised, but I’m not. Rakutis is memory. Creative Director is different about that day, versus all other days? hardly the first European politician to stick his foot The ADL recently wrote: “Holocaust denial, is Susan Bernard That one day, when candles are lit, special com- in his mouth; it’s happened all over the continent, founded on stereotypes of Jewish greed, scheming, Advertising Executive memorations are held around the world, does it re- in Great Britain, in North and South America, you and the belief that Jews can somehow force masLori Kooper-Schwarz Assistant Editor ally make enough of a difference? The next day, most people go back to life as they know it—I have sive institutions — governments, Hollywood, the media, academia — to promote an epic lie. In the Gabby Blair Staff Writer Mary Bachteler Accounting to ask whether it really makes an impact. For most people, I’m afraid the answer is ‘no.’ Even if they pay attention on the day itself, maybe United States, until the early 2000s, Holocaust denial was dominated by the extremist right, including white supremacists, who had a vested interest Jewish Press Board post something on their social media or even at- in absolving Hitler from having committed one of Abby Kutler, President; Eric Dunning, tend (virtually, in this case) some event somewhere, the most monstrous crimes the world has ever Ex-Officio; Danni Christensen, David Finkelstein, Candice Friedman, Bracha Goldsweig, Margie Gutnik, Natasha even if in theory they agree remembering is important, it does not always translate into action the known. Today, Holocaust denial in the U.S. has moved far beyond its original fringe circles on the Kraft, Chuck Lucoff, Eric Shapiro, Andy Shefsky, Shoshy Susman and Amy Tipp. The mission of the Jewish Federaother 363 days. Take for example the speech delivered by Valdis extremist right to become a phenomenon across the ideological spectrum. A September 2020 survey tion of Omaha is to build and sustain a Rakutis, who is a member of the Seimas, Lithuania’s found that 49 percent of American adults under 40 strong and vibrant Omaha Jewish Community and to support Jews in Is- parliament, and chairman of its commission on name it. The archetype of the politician who acci- years old were exposed to Holocaust denial or disrael and around the world. Agencies of historical memory. dentally (or sometimes not-so-accidentally) admits tortion across social media.” (ADL.org) the Federation are: Community Relations Committee, Jewish Community Center, Center for Jewish Life, Jewish ““There was no shortage of Holocaust perpetrators among the Jews themselves, especially in the how truly anti-Semitic their thinking is has become commonplace. That is a scary truth, but it’s one we have known for quite a while: those who distort and deny the Social Services, and the Jewish Press. Guidelines and highlights of the Jewish Press, including front page stoghetto self-government structures,” Rakutis said in the speech, which took place on International Why even attend a Holocaust commemoration if you are going to say these things—and why atHolocaust are much busier and much more effective than those who want to educate and speak ries and announcements, can be found Holocaust Remembrance Day. “We need to name tend if you believe these things? truth. If you believe it’s all a lie, you get rid of the online at: wwwjewishomaha. org; click on ‘Jewish Press.’ these people out loud and try not to have people I don’t know the answer to that. I do know that guilt—and that is an attractive notion to many. Editorials express the view of the like them again.” as Jews we approach these commemorations in the One day to remember is obviously not enough. writer and are not necessarily representative of the views of the Jewish Press Board of Directors, the Jewish “Rakutis also said that two wartime collaborators with Nazi Germany, Kazys Škirpa and Jonas hope to educate, the hope it will make a difference. Every day, that hope becomes more urgent, as Most of us remember the Holocaust every day-it’s how we were raised. It’s time the rest of the world Federation of Omaha Board of Directors, or the Omaha Jewish community Noreika, were not to blame for the fact that more many survivors are leaving us and it is up to us to does too. as a whole. The Jewish Press reserves the right to edit signed letters and articles for space and content. The Jewish Press is not responsible for the Kashrut My grandfather survived Auschwitz and spends his life spreading kindness of any product or establishment. HANNAH ALBERGA time the train stopped, the soldiers removed dead able gift imaginable at the time — freedom — next to Editorial The Jewish Press is an agency of the JTA bodies, but my grandfather needed these corpses. the U.S. Capitol rioters, I feel nauseous, my muscles Jewish Federation of Omaha. Deadline On Jan. 6, a sea of heads bobbed and flags flew out- He hid beneath them as a blanket. When it snowed, tighten and my jaw clenches. The contrast is uncanny. for copy, ads and photos is: Thursday, 9 a.m., eight days prior to publication. E-mail editorial material and photos to: side the U.S. Capitol. A closer look revealed a dark hoodie, skull, crossbones and large white letters: he kept his mouth open to dampen his lips. Later he learned that his father and brother had died. But it’s a testament to reality. Freedom and hate live in tandem, immersed in a tumultuous relationavandekamp@jewishomaha.org; “Camp Auschwitz,” followed by “Work Brings Free- By the fourth day without food or water, the cat- ship: When one pushes, the other pulls. send ads (in TIF or PDF format) to: rbusse@jewishomaha.org. dom.” That’s the phrase my 91-year-old grandfather, tle car stopped at Buchenwald, a concentration White supremacy is alive. But my grandfather is Letters to the Editor Guidelines The Jewish Press welcomes Letters David Moskovic, saw every day in German, “Arbeit Macht Frei,” when he was a 14-year-old Nazi prisoner. camp in Germany. My grandfather rolled off, unable to stand. He saw his uncle dying but did not react, alive, too. The Capitol mobs represent a hatred that was growing louder every day. But my grandfather to the Editor. They may be sent via regular mail to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. 132 St., Omaha, NE 68154; via fax: For nights following the riots, my grandfather roused to recurring nightmares. The mob at the could not react. Survival was the sole focus. Each day he pleaded to God, “Give me one more day.” and other survivors represent a love that has the extraordinary power of sowing hope for “one more day.” 1.402.334.5422 or via e-mail to the Ed- Capitol brought him back to Auschwitz, 1944. Auschwitz is not a historical artifact. The gates itor at: org. avandekamp@jewishomaha. Upon arrival, soon-to-be prisoners were rushed did not close on liberation day; they opened a door Letters should be no longer than out of cattle cars and had their belongings taken. to generations of hate that may never have an ex250 words and must be single-spaced typed, not hand-written. Published letters should be confined to opinions Everyone was sorted into two lines: One led to a building with a chimney exhaling bulging smoke; the piration date. But they also opened the door to freedom for my and comments on articles or events. News items should not be submitted and printed as a “Letter to the Editor.” product of cremating innocent bodies. One led to the camp. His family was split, but by the end of the war grandfather, who reminds me that every day is beautiful. He lost his family, his home, his health, The Editor may edit letters for content he lost everyone:his mother, father, older brother, his nationality and religious identity. and space restrictions. Letters may be published without giving an opposing two younger sisters but not his older sister, Edith. Yet he started over. The past never tainted his fuview. Information shall be verified be- “You can’t even comprehend what could have ture, but instead showed him a path of resilience. Love fore printing. All letters must be signed by the writer. The Jewish Press will not publish letters that appear to be part happened,” he said to me over the phone from Ottawa when we spoke about the riots. became the cornerstone of his life; a sharp contrast to the hate-filled wishes of white supremacists. of an organized campaign, nor letters copied from the Internet. No letters should be published from candidates running for office, but others may write But he could. He knew what hate-born violence looked like, felt like, the pain, the starvation, the loss, the imprint. David Moskovic, the author’s grandfather, at his 90th birthday party. Credit: Stephen J. Thorne Living in Ottawa, while working as a plumber, he dropped off and picked up his three children every day from school, no matter what. He traveled eight on their behalf. Letters of thanks should be con- Today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, it’s imper- Finally he was fed a bowl of soup. He snuck back hours round trip from Ottawa to Toronto for my fined to commending an institution for ative to step into the past as a way to process the pres- in line for seconds — a death sentence if discovered. school plays, graduations, birthdays, holidays and a program, project or event, rather than personally thanking paid staff, unless the writer chooses to turn the ent. At 16, my grandfather had suffered more than most people do in their entire lives, but he never let it When he saw prisoners on the verge of dying, he took their food vouchers. This was the only way to survive. often just for a visit. He welcomed a new rabbi by delivering a Shab“Letter to the Editor” into a paid personal ad or a news article about the event, project or program which the define him. Instead it fueled a deep, wholehearted sense of kindness that guided the rest of his life. He was so skinny he could practically see through his own hand. All that remained was skin and bones. bat meal. He gifted my cousins’ old toys to children he met in the elevator of his apartment building. professional staff supervised. For infor- Following his arrival at Auschwitz, my grandfa- As the Allies encroached, the Nazis tried to kill He extended an open-ended offer to take a blind mation, contact Annette van de KampWright, Jewish Press Editor, ther, along with his brother and father, was tat- as many people as possible. They selected hun- woman for groceries. He made peanut butter sand402.334.6450. tooed with his new name — A6024. David dreds of prisoners every day, instructed them to dig wiches for the security guard in his building, Postal Moskovic no longer existed. a large hole and shot them into the mass grave. One toasted, just the way he likes it. The Jewish Press (USPS 275620) is published weekly (except for the first week of January and July) on Friday For six months he was sent to lay bricks at Buna, a work camp outside of Auschwitz. His daily diet day, my grandfather was chosen. He knew once he left those gates he would never return. No one did. His hugs are more like squeezes. His handholds can last hours. His kisses are on both cheeks. for $40 per calendar year U.S.; $80 for- consisted of a slice of hard bread, grass soup with As the selected prisoners began to march, he threw Before the pandemic, my grandfather regularly eign, by the Jewish Federation of Omaha. Phone: 402.334.6448; FAX: stones mixed in and sometimes a thicker potato himself to the ground and lay flat while the others spoke at schools about his experiences. He often 402.334.5422. soup for dinner. He often saved his slice of bread stepped on him. Once they left, he ran back to his concluded with this sentiment, the same words he Periodical postage paid at Omaha, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Press, 333 So. for his father, terrified for his diminishing body and declining health. barrack, hiding in the rafters for hours. On April 11, 1945, planes flew so low it seemed says to me at the end of every phone call: “I live a beautiful life. I have three beautiful chil132 St., Omaha, NE 68154-2198 or email to: jpress@jewishomaha.org. In January 1945, Buna prisoners were rounded up at dusk and instructed to march. Gunshots pierced like they would hit the roofs of the barracks. My grandfather could barely walk outside to see what dren. I am a happy man. Be nice to each other. Be good to each other. Take care of each other.” the air. Prisoners dropped dead. After three days was going on. A big white sheet hung in the air. The Hannah Alberga is a Toronto-based journalist. without food or water, they arrived at a brickyard in guards were gone. American soldiers had arrived. The views and opinions expressed in this article are American Jewish Nebraska Press National Newspaper Glewice, a village in Poland, and were given a slice When I place the picture of American soldiers lib- those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Press Association Award Winner Association Award winner 2008 Association of bread before being jammed into cattle cars. Each erating my grandfather, handing him the most valu- views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

RABBI ARI DEMBITZER This work requires us to set aside the safety of our own bubJTA bles — and to think about what we can do for others. In the As an Orthodox rabbi in Omaha, Nebraska, people often Talmud, Rabbi Shimon asserts that a person should study want to know what it’s like to live here in the middle of Amer- Torah all day. Rabbi Yishmoel disagrees and says a person ica. The most common questions typically go something like should earn a living and engage with others to complement this: “How many Jews are there?” “Do you live on a farm?” And his Torah learning. of course, “Do you know Warren Buffet?” (The answers: about The Talmud concludes that many have tried to study all day 9,000; no; I wish!) After addressing these burning questions, I describe Omaha as a city where people are nice for no reason. As someone who grew up in Brooklyn, I have learned a lot from the slow pace and the positive impact that the lack of traffic has on the human psyche. But my utopian bubble was punctured as I observed the polarization and discord that’s happening throughout America hit here as well. Friends and neighbors have stopped talking to one another over their diverging opinions on political issues, vaccines and masks. While my new home feels Campers at Camp Simcha. Credit: Camp Simcha divided, the unity I see during my “summer job” gives me hope like Rabbi Shimon’s directive and failed. In explaining this conthat we can rebuild mutual respect in spite of our tremendous clusion, in his Sefer Ein Ayah, Rav Avrohom Yitzchok HaKodifferences and the tremendous challenges we face. hen Kook states that when a person studies all day and is not In addition to my rabbinic duties in Omaha, during the sum- on the lofty level of Rabbi Shimon, and does not do mitzvot mers I relocate to New York’s Catskill Mountains, where I have and engage with others, all he becomes is their mind. If one is served as the co-director of Camp Simcha, a medically super- only engaged in their mind and their own opinions, they will vised overnight camp for children with life-threatening ill- lose appreciation of others. They then tend to become argunesses and chronic disease, for over 20 years. mentative and divisive. In camp, our bunks are filled with children and staff from At Camp Simcha, our counselors and staff members have all religious backgrounds and walks of life: Zionists and Sat- one goal: to give each child the most joyous, fun-filled experimar Hasidim, Orthodox and secular Jews, and everything in ence possible. When you are compassionate and giving, you between. Though they may have differing worldviews, they tend to look for the best in others. You try to understand othare able to discover common ground and find strength in one ers. And you quickly realize life is too short to dwell on what another. divides us. A few summers ago, I was lucky to meet two incredible Unlike the world of online vitriol, our camp focuses on kindyoung campers: Matthew, a Reform Jew from Dallas, Texas, ness. We get to know one another, we sing and dance together, and Chaim, a Vizhnitz Hasid from Monsey, New York. we play, we talk, we ask questions, and we build up each other Matthew had never met a Hasidic Jew, and Chaim had not without ever losing sight of our unique identities and what personally known any non-Orthodox Jews. Through their makes us each so special. Hence Rav Kook’s teaching: The way shared experiences as leukemia survivors, the two formed a to increase harmony within diversity is to engage and to give special bond and have remained close friends until this day, to one another. sharing in each other’s joyous occasions. Rabbi Ari Dembitzer is the co-director of Chai Lifeline’s Matthew and Chaim are my inspiration. While their day-to- Camp Simcha and rabbi of Beth Israel Synagogue in day lives feel very different from the outside and the chal- Omaha, Nebraska. lenges they’ve faced are daunting, they teach us that there is The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of more that unites us than keeps us apart and that we can learn the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its from one another without sacrificing who we are. parent company, 70 Faces Media.

The audacity to hope

On Jan. 6, I expected bad things to that our country holds racist views according to an NBC/Wall happen, but it was worse than I had ex- Street Journal poll from last summer. That is a staggering pected. On Inauguration Day, I hoped number representing more than 180 million Americans! to be enlightened, and I was enlight- Emotional fatigue and stress, promulgated by any of the ened with hope... above ailments, have left us exhausted. The cuts on our feet The question is: What will that hope from walking on eggshells are starting to get infected... We usher in? What changes with the long for an antiseptic! change of administration? Does the Despite all this, and the deer-in-headlights numbness of communication divide miraculously how one makes the first move towards solutions, there is a heal? Does the pandemic crawl back GARY NACHMAN glimmer of light. There is a palpable sense that people desire into its plagued hole? Will racial dispar- Regional Director, change. And the good news is that the willingness for change ity suddenly be acknowledged, admit- ADL-Plains States appears to have empathetic support from the top. That we can ted, accepted and resolved? Does the Region have the audacity to hope and take risks in finding repair. working American’s economy suddenly How do we seek and find solutions? First, we must remove feel equitable and fair? Will extremists of all stripes discover the liars. Then, we can work on repairing the lies. Sometimes they have been living in Jonestown and now yearn to be free with bold protests that bring issues to the fore. Sometimes of it? Will anti-Semitic attitudes finally evaporate? How do we seeking little victories that we can build upon. manage through disinformation? More than anything else, I am optimistic there is a new gen Rarely in history have so many big issues needed to be dealt eration that will not be satisfied with past performance. They with given the priority of the evils we must face. Sadly, none recognize that without a sound environment, there is no life of these questions are likely to be resolved simply by the free to share, regardless of with whom we agree or disagree. They exercise of our nation’s right to vote. Politicizing loyalty, patri- will make every effort to replace discord with harmony. It is otism, education, communication, faith, not to mention hon- our job to encourage, mentor, participate and support in any esty and the pursuit of truth, has numbed our senses of reality way we can. We can be the groundswell—one person at a and kicked our moral compass off its survivable path. time, one choice at a time. Ten percent of Americans hold anti-Semitic views. That is Then, collectively, we can be the tide that lifts all ships. over 30 million people! Fifty-six percent of Americans believe