“After all the destruction Hitler caused, we are here and the family is growing,” said author and Holocaust historian Miriam Dobin towards the conclusion of her presentation “My Four Parents … Rebuilding Life After the Holocaust” for the Orthodox Forum of Highland Park/Edison at Congregation Etz Ahaim on February 11. Dobin was describing a photograph of herself and husband, children (and their spouses) and grandchildren.
Dozens of community members came to the evening talk, which focused on life in Eastern Europe in the years prior to World War II and the miraculous events that led to Dobin’s parents’ forced labor, concentration camp survival, and their arrival and creation of new lives in the United States.
Orthodox Forum leader Daniel Rushefsky noted in his introduction,“The Orthodox Forum presents topics that promote thought and discussion from speakers brought from far and wide—and sometimes right from our neighborhood.” He noted that Dobin, a longtime resident of Highland Park, is deeply committed to furthering public knowledge of the Holocaust period and European Jewish life before and after World War II as a tribute, responsibility and commitment to Jewish life, family and continuity.
“Children of survivors become the voice of triumph of good over evil,” Rushefsky said, and have the responsibility to share their family stories. People who miraculously survived concentration camps, death marches and forced labor were often changed in ways that had lasting impact on future generations. Dobin noted that her relatives related to their past in different ways: crying, anxiety, not talking about the past. It is important to share those experiences.
Dobin, religious school director at Temple Neve Shalom in Metuchen, feels strongly that Holocaust history and the stories of survivors must be taught and preserved as the community of survivors dwindles daily, while polls show an increase in antisemitism around the world and a stunning lack of Holocaust awareness by people under the age of 40. She praised the Names Not Numbers program that pairs an aged Holocaust survivor with middle-school students who preserve the survivor’s story and learn about what happened firsthand.
Another initiative, #ItStartedWithWords, was launched in 2021 by the Claims Conference and supported by the United Nations and Holocaust museums worldwide to focus on the power hateful words had to spark a movement to obliterate an entire people. The establishment of Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation at USC was inspired by Holocaust survivors visiting the set of his movie “Schindler’s List.” More than 50,000 Holocaust testimonies have been recorded for future generations to preserve the memories of these individuals as well as the names of additional victims named by the interviewee.
The life of middle-class Orthodox Jews in Eastern Europe before World War II was a comfortable existence, with family members serving in their country’s military, children attending public schools, adults working in business or the trades, and community members fully integrated in society. For the most part Jews got along well with their neighbors.
Things changed when Hitler used his writings in “Mein Kampf” to delegitimize the existence of the Jewish community and have them serve as the scapegoat for the collapse of German society and their defeat in World War I. In short order, Jews were no longer allowed to attend school, own businesses or even sit on benches in public parks.
Dobin’s book “I Am Because of You” (reviewed in The Jewish Link, August 3, 2017, http://bit.ly/3I1Uxnc) is her tribute to the faith and sacrifices of her family. At the book signing following her recent presentation, an attendee shared highlights of their family’s survival story. Dobin asked if that story was written or recorded for future generations; if it wasn’t then it should be. She added that it is important to make a record of these events now before they are forgotten. As in Dobin’s family, the key psychological trait of many survivors was resilience and hope for the future. Dobin’s mother and father never gave up hope of having a family, and were blessed with their daughter at the ages of nearly 48 (mother) and 56 (father).
Attendees were very glad to have heard Dobin’s experiences. Rabbi Kaufman and his wife, Debby, had both read the book and know Dobin as a member of the congregation. They found her presentation to be inspiring and eloquent. Marilyn Berger of Highland Park came to the session with her daughter. She had heard Dobin speak several years ago and read her book, yet found that she learned something new at this presentation.
The Orthodox Forum will present their final session of the semester next month as Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, will speak about “The Orthodox Community; Looking Forward.” The Orthodox Jewish Forum of Highland Park/ Edison is a community-wide educational endeavor to discuss contemporary issues and ideas in the ideology of Torah Umada. The aim is an open discussion and dialogue on contemporary topics that is open to the community with sessions held at various communal institutions and synagogues.
For more information visit: https://orthodoxjewishforum.dreamhosters.com/hpedison/
By Deborah Melman
