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THE ROAD BACK
Former Schechter students rededicate Holocaust sculpture
By Audrey Nobel
One morning in late November, a group gathered at Solomon Schechter Day School in West Hartford to rededicate the school’s Holocaust Memorial. Members of Schechter’s class of 2019, who designed and built this special sculpture when they were in seventh grade, unveiled a new plaque.
Holocaust survivor Rabbi Phillip Lazowski spoke to the students, now in 12thgrade, about the importance The Holocaust memorial designed and of hearing survivors’ stories, constructed on the grounds of Solomon because “in five or six years, Schechter Day School in West Hartford in there will be no more living 2019, by the school’s 7th graders. survivors of the Holocaust.” He urged all of the attendees to speak out against injustice, prejudice, and antisemitism. Representatives from Voices of Lamont toured Future Meat Technologies. The innovative Israel company is in early Hope, a Connecticut organization that promotes education about discussions with Connecticut about coming to the state.the Holocaust and other genocides, also offered remarks.
In 2018, Schechter students collaborated with the recently announced production of a chicken and beef product that they grow in a petri dish, with Lamont has tasted and declared “pretty good.”) and other industries. Lamont expects that many of these Israeli entrepreneurs will be visiting Connecticut in the near future with an eye towards forging collaborations and the like. “You know, there’s two and a half times more venture capital money being invested in Israel today than there was a year and a half ago. That’s a sign of optimism and people believing in the future,” Lamont told the Ledger. “From a political standpoint, they’re really working hard to show that Israel is governing itself and moving forward – and the business community is really leading the way. And that’s great,” he added. That sense of optimism is shared by others in the Connecticut delegation. “We had an incredibly productive trip to Israel,” Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner David Lehman said. “The Governor led delegation meetings with high-growth Israeli companies, venture firms, established companies, and the Israeli government. Our meetings were singularly focused on how to increase collaboration between our two economies and mutually beneficial direct investment. I am optimistic about the future of the Connecticut-Israel economic relationship.” n organization Facing History and Ourselves to design and construct the large stone structure. Its core is a tower of cement blocks, which represent the hardship of the Holocaust: a rough and difficult material, something hard as stone. Blossoming from the blocks are open hands, shaped from a much smoother and softer-looking cement. These represent the new generations of Jews who survived and flourished after the Holocaust. Students made molds for the hands using their own hands as well as those of two grandparents who were Holocaust survivors. In some cases, a student molded his/her hand while clasped with their grandparent who survived the Holocaust. The six bricks around the memorial represent the six death camps as well as the six million Jews lost in the Holocaust. In the spring and summer, a variety of flowers native to Israel and Europe bloom from the cracks in the cement and around the monument. Daffodils return each spring, symbolizing hope, rebirth, memory, awareness, reflection, and forgiveness. The contrast of the hopeful and joyous colorful flowers against the stark and somber stone structure captures the themes of death and new life. Back in 2019, Alyssa Temkin, one of the Schechter students who took who took part in the project, noted, "The most impactful piece of this [sculpture] is where my Poppy and I have our hands clenched together. His courage and strength is forever intertwined with me. We represent the beauty that came after devastation. We will continue to grow, flourish and remember."
SHUTTER BUG – photography –
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