Seventy years after the liberation, Abe Foxman continues to give voice to the victims, families, survivors, righteous rescuers, educators and military defenders of the Holocaust. Only a man of Foxman’s integrity, sensitivity, courage and personal experience—combined with his unique and revered credentials—could deliver such a powerful address at last week’s annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration at Kean University. Co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest (JFGMW) and Kean University, this year’s gathering swelled with meaning that touched every heart in the room. An amazing collaboration mastered by Barbara Wind, director of the Holocaust Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, the program moved many to tears, and educated all in attendance.
When asked what drives her passion for the myriad Holocaust-related programs she organizes, Wind commented that she is the daughter of survivors who lost everyone and everything during the Holocaust. Her energy seems limitless and, under her astute direction, the Council continues to flourish in providing educational programming for the community. Wind noted that the Council hosts ongoing weekly programs all year long, not just around the time of the Shoah commemorations.
Leslie Dannin Rosenthal, president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest, expressed pride in the Holocaust Council’s ongoing programming. She emphasized that “we are committed to the sacred task of memory,” and reminded everyone that “many of the institutions of this region, especially the day schools, were built by our survivor community, which is an inspiring message to all of us.”
Dov Ben-Shimon, vice president and CEO of the JFGMW, added his greetings and underscored the pledge of the Federation’s commitment to the care and dignity of all survivors, through the Jewish Family Services of MetroWest.
The evening opened with the national anthems of both the United States and Israel, presented by the joint choirs of Elmora Public School #12 and the Jewish Educational Center. This joint choir is a rainbow of cultural representation, which perfectly combined the beauty of sound, solidarity and hope that only the innocence of children can bring to an issue like the Holocaust.
Introduced by Kean University Holocaust Studies professor Keith Nunes, PhD, Foxman, the national director emeritus of the Anti-Defamation League and current director and chairman for the study of anti-Semitism at the Jewish Heritage Museum, began his remarks choked with emotion as he expressed being moved by the words and music of the children in the choir. After taking a few moments to compose himself, Foxman revealed that he, too, was a survivor, a child hidden and protected by the “kindness, compassion, courage and decency” of his nanny.
Foxman addressed the existential questions of why and how such a thing could happen. How could other countries of the world know what was going on and fail to act? He concluded that merely “knowing” was not enough. Citing the exceptional and humane response of the Balkans and Albania, who are known to have saved all their Jewish citizens, Foxman also pondered what might have happened if people had taken action based on
“knowing,” concluding with the moral imperative of bearing witness to the decency and heroism of those who did take action.
“Never again,” says Foxman, is the 11th commandment of Holocaust families.
By Ellie Wolf
