Shavuot speaker explicit, not vulgar

Mark Wasserstrom is an old friend. But I can’t concur with the observations in his letter to The Chronicle last week (May 23), wondering if the subject matter of Rabbi Steve Greenberg’s keynote session at the all-night Shavuot study session at Kehilath Israel was appropriate.

Rabbi Greenberg is the first (and, I believe, only) openly gay Orthodox rabbi. His discussion was an examination of the various commentaries concerning the rationales for the biblical verses on sex between men found in Leviticus. The session was very well attended, with perhaps 200 people present. Perhaps Mark arrived a few minutes late, because at the very beginning Rabbi Greenberg warned the audience that some of the discussion would be explicit so if that made them uncomfortable they could leave before he began. As I recall, nobody did. Parts of the subsequent discussion were indeed explicit, but not vulgar. The biblical passages under discussion are about specific sexual acts. At the time they were set down there was no real understanding of homosexuality as a sexual orientation. For the (presumably) heterosexual writers of the Torah this was only about specific sexual acts that men might engage in. Under the circumstances, it is difficult to discuss those passages without being explicit about the actual things that are proscribed. That’s especially the case when discussing these passages in an Orthodox context, as Rabbi Greenberg does, because the verses can’t simply be overlooked or deemed out-of-date as other Jewish denominations might do. They have to be analyzed and distinguished if there’s to be a way to reconcile them with our modern understanding of sexual orientation as an intrinsic component of a person’s G-d-given nature.

Rabbi Greenberg is an attractive and appealing speaker, with a fine mind and a great sense of humor, and in my view he did an outstanding job discussing a sensitive topic that has too often been avoided in our synagogues. I would note that there were no children in the audience. If a group of adults can’t discuss the mitzvot about sexual behavior at 10:30 at night, when can we? Nobody walked out of the session and quite a few people clustered around Rabbi Greenberg at the end of the session to ask questions or follow up on things he had mentioned earlier. Judaism contemplates every aspect of existence, including our sex lives. It therefore has to be appropriate to discuss traditional Jewish views of sexual morality to understand how they may apply in our own day. Obviously, Rabbi Greenberg wasn’t able to cover all that in a 90-minute session, but he certainly gave everyone in the audience many things to think about. And isn’t that the whole purpose of a Torah study session?

Rob Montague

Overland Park, Kan.

Amazing entertainers add to special Mother’s Day

Every mother is special. Many believe that, but few people or groups care enough to put their words into action. On May 10, some generous individuals produced a free Mother’s Day Concert that rewarded mothers with beautiful words and first rate music.

I took my mother to this event, which was arranged and organized by harpist Michael O’Shiver at the Jewish Community Center. This program, which was sponsored by the Heritage Center, would not have been possible without the other amazing entertainers: Max Berry, Denny Osburn, Ronny Reed, Ray Zarr, Donald Cox, Horace Washington and Ricky Anderson. Finally, I would like to shine a light on an exceptional singer, Patricia “Princess” Lyons-Cox. She is more than an entertainer, she is a musical wonder!

All people there, including my mother, were spellbound by the show. Afterward, my mother and I dined at the Heritage Center, which designed a fancy Mother’s Day lunch complete with cucumber sandwiches, chocolate strawberries and fancy pastries.

In addition to mothers, I feel that benefactors and professional organizations that spread good cheer for these special women should also be celebrated! Thanks to all!

Renee Franklin

Overland Park, Kan.

“All the generations before me donated me

bit by bit so I might be erected here in Jerusalem

all at once, like a house of prayer or a foundation for charity.

It binds. My name is my donors’ name.

It binds.

I must change my life and my death

day by day, and so fulfill all the prophecies

they prophesied about me. So they do not become a lie.

It binds.”

This excerpt is taken from the poem “My Name Is My Donor’s Name,” by renowned Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai. I am a big fan of Amichai’s poetry … and have been for several years. I believe he catches glimpses of universal human truths, not just of Israeli existence.

During my stay in Kansas City, I have been asked several times to speak about what life is like in Israel as a young woman. I have been asked to give perspective about why I choose to live in Israel every day; why I am choosing to move to Jerusalem after finishing my year as emissary in K.C.; and what I have learned from being here. This poem reflects my feelings about living in Israel. It catches my truth in the most beautiful way.

When Amichai writes “All the generations before me donated me bit by bit,” I feel that he is talking about me. I’m a sixth-generation native Israeli on my father’s side. My great grandfather’s father, Rabbi Michel Hacohen, came to Jerusalem from Lithuania in the 1840s. Upon his arrival, he found the Jewish quarter isolated and poor, its residents living off of donations and just barely surviving. Rabbi Michel didn’t settle for this harsh reality. He returned to Europe to study the art of print, and returned to Jerusalem to open the second Hebrew newspaper.

After publishing several newspapers, he joined forces with six peers and bought the land that was to become “Nachalat Shiv’aa” (Land of seven), which was the third neighborhood outside the old city walls.

You see, Israelis have always been and always will be creative entrepreneurs. That is something I think defines Israeli character. Think about where we live, and what we have been forced to overcome ever since the first aliyah came to Israel, in the late 19th century: hostile neighbors, swamps, disease, constant war, no natural resources. My great grandfather did not have a choice. It was either re-invent yourself, improve your surroundings by thinking outside the box, or cease to exist. It was relevant in 1840 and it is still relevant today. Being an Israeli means you always have to be creative, plan ahead while living today because who knows what will happen tomorrow?

Rabbi Michel’s great grandson, my grandfather Eliezer Cohen, served in the Palmach (elite underground unit prior to the IDF), and together with my grandmother Nechama, built Kibbutz Erez on the northern Gaza border in 1949. My aunt was the first child born on the kibbutz.

My grandparents on my mother’s side, Arye and Zmira Granit, were Holocaust survivors from Poland and Belgium. My grandfather escaped to eastern Russia during the war, and later became one of the first Israeli pilots.

Both sets of grandparents fought for a Jewish state, for a safe homeland for the Jews. One side of my family survived the darkest period of time for the Jewish people; the other was born in Israel and didn’t think twice about picking up the gun and fighting. It was the only way to survive. This is my history, these are my roots. “My name is my donors’ name, it binds.” It does bind. Who am I to ignore my heritage and my past? My family has fought to build Israel and protect it, my job is to continue their way.

There is a famous Israeli saying by Yigal Alon (a former IDF chief of staff), “A nation that does not remember its past has a poor present and its future remains unknown.” Every Israeli is either an immigrant or came from an immigrant family. Whether from Europe, India, Northeast Africa or America. Israel is a country of immigrants.

We must all remember where we came from and what we had to endure before Israel became a known fact 65 years ago, and a safe haven to this day for Jews throughout the world.

However, Israel is not only a safe haven, a place to go to in times of need. It is a living and breathing reality for 8 million of its citizens. And life in Israel is complicated and isn’t always easy. In the fall, I will begin my first year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Due to my army service (I was an education officer for three years in the IDF) and work as an emissary, I am starting school at age 23.

As a native Tel-Avivian, it is not an obvious choice to pick up and move to Jerusalem (imagine a native New Yorker moving to Kansas City!). Jerusalem is a beautiful, breath-taking city. It has been the heart of three religions for thousands of years, and to this day it isn’t peaceful. Housing is expensive, and so is life in general. Social and religious pluralism issues are not to be ignored either. In a recent survey, there has been a negative immigration from Jerusalem. Less than one-third of students who graduate university in Jerusalem choose to relocate due to work and social life. Living in the holy city certainly isn’t easy.

But then again, being an Israeli isn’t easy or comfortable. People ask me what I’ve learned in Kansas City. I think I’ve been giving the opportunity to gain some perspective and see Israel through other people’s eyes. This has been very interesting and thought provoking. Some memorable moments include:

• Learning KC has eight (now seven) young adults from this community who chose to make a life-changing decision and join the IDF as lone soldiers.

• Watching school children write letters to soldiers and thanking them for protecting the Jewish people.

• Witnessing an Israel Independence day celebration in Manhattan, Kan., where there is a Jewish community synagogue without a rabbi.

• Meeting people who read the media and are outraged over the discrimination against Israel that is everywhere they look.

I have been privileged to learn so much about Jewish life from this community. I learned not to take Israel for granted. I have a much better understanding now of why Israel is a home not just to its 8 million citizens, but also to millions of Jews around the world. Why it is so important that we keep these connections alive.

I have learned over the past few months that Judaism and “Israeliness” are not two separate things. And I think that in a way, there are many Israelis such as myself who are looking for a way to become more Jewish (and not necessarily observant). You can find evidences all around Israel, from the newly appointed Knesset members to the secular yeshivas. And after having all of these interesting and inspiring experiences, I must go back to Israel and engage in social change by tapping into Israeli society.

So why am I going back? Because Israel is my home and because I wish to join my friends and peers who want to make a change. Now, before it gets too late.

I believe that Israel is at a crucial state in its existence. We have built a true wonder in 65 years, a state and homeland we can all be proud to call our home. Israel is a leading country that has made and continues to make endless contributions to the world.

After accomplishing Zionism and its original intention, we are at a point where we must decide what we want our country to look like. How do we remain a Jewish and democratic state? How do we achieve true peace with our neighbors and within our borders?

We are on a long journey, and we are yet to see its end. My experiences as an emissary have taught me to keep my mind and heart open. But one thing I do know: being an emissary makes me want to keep fighting for a better and safer Israel, and I encourage you to do the same. I hope you will join me in continued support of Israel as a united Jewish peoplehood.

Ophir Hacohen is the fifth Israeli emissary for the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City since the program began here in 2003. The Jewish Federation hopes to welcome a new emissary to the community in the fall.

Graphic discussion inappropriate for holiday

On the evening of May 14, I joined the study program at Kehilath Israel Synagogue to welcome Shavuot. There was a good audience of between 200 and 300 people for the keynote address.

Unfortunately, the guest speaker chose to discuss the physical aspects of homosexual experience in graphic terms. Based on a sense of modesty, I felt that Rabbi Steve Greenberg was out of line to discuss private body parts in the sanctuary. His format was to review four rationales for the prohibition in Leviticus prohibiting a man laying with another man.

After framing three traditional approaches in a manner in which he could ridicule them, he came up with a strained linguistic interpretation of the Hebrew verb to theorize the only prohibition was to use sex as a way to humiliate another person. In effect, he was standing the text on its head to glorify a caring relationship between two men.

Nobody in the audience protested. Nobody in the audience got up and left. I was frozen in a moment of disbelief about what I was witnessing. The only reaction that I noticed was that one older acquaintance quietly picked up a copy of a Bible and was pursuing his own study rather than listening to the address.

The annual Shavuot study night provides the community the opportunity to bring in a speaker of national reputation. Last year, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin provided an example of the power and inspiration to be gained from a visiting scholar. While Rabbi Greenberg may represent a voice that is important to a small element of the Jewish community, the choice of him as a keynote speaker wasted the opportunity to bring in a speaker of far wider appeal. I hope that the leadership of our community chooses future speakers more carefully.

Mark D. Wasserstrom

Kansas City, Mo.

Claims Conference corrupt

An anonymous letter sent to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany’s Frankfurt office in 2001 identified five cases where restitution was approved for ineligible claimants. I have the guts to say they are a bunch of thieves.

I am a child of Holocaust survivors. For years I have yelled and screamed that there has been hanky panky going on while Holocaust survivors were denied their due. How stupid are we not to protest? A lot of people belong in jail.

Holocaust survivors are going without food and medicine while the thieves play with their funds. If you agree with me, speak out. I call on all Holocaust survivors and their children and grandchildren to demand retribution now. I am not afraid to speak out.

The Claims Conference in my opinion is corrupt or at least inept. Soon the Holocaust survivors will all be dead. How much more money will be stolen?

Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg

Edison, N.J.

“The Book Of Job: When Bad Things Happened To A Good Person” by Harold S. Kushner. (New York: Schocken) Also available in Nook and Kindle editions.

“Human beings are meaning-makers. We want to be reassured that we live in a stable, orderly world.” It is this world view that inspired Rabbi Harold Kushner to express his theology in the widely popular “When Bad Things Happen to Good People,” reflecting his personal struggle to reconcile his theology with the tragically short life of his son, who suffered from a rare genetic disorder. Much of the theology expressed in that book was based on the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria and on the book of Job. In his latest book, “The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person,” he returns to the latter with the goal of making this difficult book of the Bible accessible to the modern reader.

Primarily Rabbi Kushner’s book consists of a chapter-by-chapter explication of the much-misunderstood biblical work. He is correct, I believe, in his assertion that Job is an adaptation of an old folk tale, in which the author “took the venerable, pious Fable of Job, turned it inside-out, and gave us the theological masterpiece we know as the book of Job in the Bible.” Unfortunately, people with a casual knowledge of the book know only the fable; how else would the phrase “the patience of Job” have become part of our language? The recent film “A Serious Man” was supposedly based on the story of Job, but it considers only the fable, not the actual thrust of the book as a whole. Kushner’s one omission is his lack of attention to the final chapter, which returns to the fable, providing a conventional happy ending. Personally I believe that the author did so with a wonderful sense of narrative irony, which many readers miss because we associate such irony with modern literature and not with works written thousands of years ago.

As Rabbi Kushner points out, all but three chapters of Job are an extended poem which to a great extent “leave the fable behind.” Satan’s wager with God is never referred to again. It seems that his assertion that “it makes far more sense to read the poem as a challenge to, and a rejection of, the theology of the fable” is the only way to look at Job. I especially liked his insight into the voice from the whirlwind episode: “Until now Job’s understanding of God has been strictly theological, based on what people had taught him, and he had problems reconciling those teachings with the facts of his life…. But now he has met God, and meeting God is very different from being taught about God…. Job has evolved from the realm of theology to that of religious experience, from discussing God to encountering God.”

My one disagreement with Rabbi Kushner’s approach is with his explication of Chapter 40, in which he writes “Behemoth is the Primal Life Force that gives people the energy to do things and to have an impact on the lives of other people for good or ill” and Leviathan is “the agent of chaos,” the force of natural law. This fits well with Kushner’s philosophy, that free will and natural law are essential components of the universe. Personally, I agree with this theology, but after re-reading Chapter 40 three times, I cannot see these views reflected there. In this instance, I believe that Rabbi Kushner has superimposed his own views onto the biblical text, creating a sort of modern Midrash. He is of course free to do so, but he should have made it clear that he has moved from objective interpretation to his personal theology.

Given this one caveat, nevertheless, I would recommend this book highly. More than any other book of ancient wisdom (with the possible exception of Kohelet/Ecclesiastes), the book of Job has the power to speak to serious people in the 21st century, and as far as I know, no one has explained it as clearly and directly as Rabbi Kushner has in this volume.

A bit of history

Thank you for the terrific coverage of the successful HBHA Dinner Celebration honoring Joyce and Stan Zeldin, Miriam Kaseff and Rabbi Morris B. Margolies, of blessed memory. We were thrilled we raised financial aid money for the students!

There was an important fact left out of the story printed in the April 18 article “Celebrating 40 years.” Although we mimicked our dinner after a successful fundraiser held by a day school in New Jersey, it was really at the request of two board members that our very first dinner was born. For three years, Aleck Bratt and Sam Epstein, both of blessed memory, encouraged me to hold a dinner on HBHA’s behalf. Then the three of us went with my Uncle Hyman Brand, of blessed memory, to ask then Mayor Pro-Tem Dick Berkley to accept the very first Civic Service Award.

Without Aleck and Sam’s energy and loyal support, the dinner may never have gotten off the ground. Now 47 years later, we truly can appreciate and be grateful for the genius of their idea.

Carl Puritz

Westwood Hills, Kan.

In March of 2012, a contingency of 28 people, aged 21-42, traveled to Las Vegas for an exciting Jewish Federations of North America conference called Tribefest. We felt inspired by the international gathering of 1,800 young Jews and empowered by many of the sessions and speakers. As the conference began to wind down, some of us wondered how we could bring that excitement back to Kansas City; how could we be the change the Jewish community needs to move to the next level?

To answer this question, a small group of us decided to create what we would most want. The outcome, “Israel Together,” is not a communitywide mission. More than a trip, “Israel Together” will be a journey for people in their 30s and 40s, singles and couples, regardless of their current level of affiliation to the Jewish Federation.

“ ‘Israel Together’ will not only take us to Israel; it will bring us back home. And in doing so, we will be in a position to design the future of the Kansas City Jewish community,” explained committee member Amy Shapiro.

Beginning in the fall, we will have sessions to learn about the places we will visit as well as work done here in Kansas City that supports those places and programs. We will begin to create the bonds that will be cemented during the “Israel Together” mission, slated for March 30-April 9, 2014.

Amy Ravis Furey, Jewish Federation Learning for Life associate, said, “What makes ‘Israel Together’ unique is its sense of purpose, guaranteeing participants a stronger sense of community and appreciation of a united Jewish community in Kansas City and world-wide.”

We know that people in our age group care passionately about being Jewish. With the diminishing threat of anti-Semitism in America, our Jewish contemporaries have more choices than ever — and the Jewish community is not always where people choose to spend their time and money.

“Our sincere hope is that this group strengthens its engagement in and financial support of the Jewish community through this Israel experience,” said committee member Sarah Beren.

Alan Edelman, associate executive director of the Jewish Federation agrees, “The heart can’t feel what the eyes can’t see.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, under the leadership of Board Chair Miriam Scharf and CEO Todd Stettner, are in such strong support of the goals of “Israel Together” that the board of directors has committed to a $1,500 subsidy for each participant. “Israel Together” is generously underwritten by the Polsky Family Supporting Foundation/Jewish Federation Endowment Fund.

Besides the two of us, the committee includes  Sarah and Peter Beren, Michelle Goldsmith, Amy and Peter Shapiro, Michael Liss, Erin and Dan Margolin, Alan Shafton and Meg and Justin Shaw

“Regardless of whether you have been to Israel five times or have never had the opportunity, this mission will be the ideal mix of tourism, learning and fun,” said Michelle Goldsmith, another committee member.

Plans are underway for the itinerary and the accompanying sessions. Please join us from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on June 6 at OP1906 in the Overland Park Sheraton Hotel. We will have tentative details about the whole program and expected costs. Or, if you are interested but cannot attend our June 6 event, contact Furey at or 913-981-8801.

We are excited to share “Israel Together!”

Thanks for the support

I was delighted that the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle featured my upcoming visit to town in the May 2 issue. I can’t wait to return to where “everything is up to date.”

In the article I am quoted praising four people for their support of our work. I would like to emphasize that we also have a long-standing relationship with the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City. Over many years, they have provided significant support to IRAC’s work for new immigrants and converts, and made very significant contributions to Rabbi Miri Gold’s struggle for state funding and recognition.

I feel the greatest gratitude and appreciation to the Federation and want to make sure that their support is duly recognized.

Anat Hoffman

Executive Director

Israel Religious Action Center

Several organizations sponsoring Hoffman lecture

I commend The Jewish Chronicle for writing such an in-depth article (Volume 93, Number 18) about Anat Hoffman, the executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center, who will be the Krasne Scholar-in-Residence of the New Reform Temple from Friday, May 17, to Sunday, May 19. Our community should be especially proud that a diverse group of organizations have come together to support Ms. Hoffman’s public address at the JCC on Sunday, May 19, at 7 p.m. Inadvertently, the article provided an incomplete listing of all of the organizations that are sponsoring her Sunday lecture.

The complete list is: The New Reform Temple, The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City, JCRB|AJC, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, Congregation Beth Torah, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, Congregation Beth Shalom, Kehilath Israel Synagogue, Congregation Kol Ami, and Congregation Ohev Sholom.

Our entire community should celebrate that a cross section of our Jewish community supports Anat Hoffman’s opportunity to express her unique voice on the critical issue of religious pluralism in Israel.

Rabbi Alan D. Londy

New Reform Temple

Good luck Secretary Gordon

Thank you for the article about Lana Gordon, Kansas’ Secretary of Labor.  Despite the ever-present chatter about the transgressions of public officials, Secretary Gordon is a wonderful example of a committed public servant.

Secretary Gordon represented the 52nd District in the Kansas House for a dozen years. During that period, she chaired the House education and budget committees. She is by profession an elementary school teacher and has first-hand familiarity with our educational system and what works to educate our children and inculcate values.

Now Secretary Gordon has a new charge: making the unemployment insurance system more equitable by identifying and eliminating fraud and abuse. Secretary Gordon combines a lifetime of both private and public sector experience to work on behalf of the people of Kansas.

Thank you, Madame Secretary for a job well done!

David Seldner

President

Margie Robinow

Vice President

Republican Jewish Coalition

Sharing gratitude and condolences

The Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council (GKCIC) extends its condolences to the families of those who were killed by the attack at the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, and prays for the speedy recovery of those who were injured.

The GKCIC is dedicated to bringing people together of all religions and backgrounds. We commend the first responders and so many others who rushed to the aid of victims, and who demonstrated mutual respect, value of life, and simple kindness that are the foundation for a peaceful society.

By the time this letter is printed, the Council will have had an interfaith service, where people of all backgrounds from the Kansas City area were invited to mourn the loss of life in Boston, pray for the recovery of the injured, and share our gratitude for all who assisted.

The GKCIC is comprised of lay leaders and clergy from more than 15 different religions who meet during the year to educate and promote accurate and fair portrayal of the faiths within our community.

One way to honor the victims is to commit oneself to learning and developing a deeper understanding of each other’s religions, cultures and backgrounds. This, in turn, can help us move closer to shalom (peace).

Sheila Sonnenschein

GKCIC Convener

Melton clarification

The newest class offered by melton@HBHA, “Five Books, Five Agendas,” taught by Melton Director of Education Rabbi Morey Schwartz, had its successful opening session on Monday, April 15. Texts by Josephus, Rabbi Ovadia Sforno, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Jehudah Berlin and E. Theodore Mullin — as well as thought-provoking commentary by Rabbi Schwartz — immediately established the fact that participants will be viewing each of the five books of Torah very differently over the next several weeks.

Jacob Schreiber (Jewish Community Center president & CEO) has called to my attention two errors in the April 11 article announcing “Five Books, Five Agendas.” First, Club Room 3 is a JCC room, not a Jewish Community Campus room. And second, the state-of-the-art teleconferencing system that makes it possible for Kansas City Melton students to study with Rabbi Schwartz was purchased by the JCC, not the Jewish Federation, as indicated in the article. I apologize for both errors. melton@HBHA sincerely appreciates the JCC’s willingness to allow the use of its resources to make possible this unique class.

Henri Goettel

Director, melton@HBHA

Rock-A-Thon memories

Our thanks for The Chronicle article about MU’s AEPi fraternity’s Biennial Rock-A-Thon. This is an event the fraternity takes seriously, and it receives extensive media coverage in mid-Missouri.

The article brought back memories of the 1995 Rock-A-thon. Our son, Ari, the fraternity’s master for two terms, had the honor of being the AEPi rocker that year. We stood outside a Columbia shopping mall in a downpour soliciting donations with a homemade sign, while he “rocked” in downtown Columbia. At the end of the event, the fraternity had raised a then-record $30,000 for cancer research, and our son’s rewards were a job well done…and a numb tush!

We send our heartfelt wishes to the AEPi brothers at Mizzou for their efforts and continued success with the Rock-a-thon.

Larry (AEPi, UMKC, 1967) and Sally Gordon

Overland Park, Kan.

A new family tradition

Thank you for including Marcia Rittmaster’s matzah toffee recipe in the pre-Passover issue. We decided to try our hand at it, and it was a huge hit with my kids. We had fun baking and eating our delicious matzah creation together.

Thanks for keeping traditions like these alive through your paper. We talk a great deal in the Jewish community about passing down traditions from generation to generation. Sharing recipes like this gave me another tool to teach my children in a meaningful (and tasty!) way this Passover.

Jane Martin

Overland Park, Kan.

After a week that I really can’t explain, I got home to  Tel Aviv around 6 a.m. on April 11, after visiting Poland to take part in the March of the Living. It was incredible. It was horrendous. It was life-changing, and parts with my group were even fun. I don’t know how to put into words what I saw, what I felt, what I experienced but will try.

I am overwhelmed with emotions that I can’t make sense of. Ultimately I feel very blessed to be home, in my bed, in Israel. I feel proud to be a Jew in a generation that has always known a State of Israel and that those who need, have a place of refuge.

I feel disgusted by what I saw, ashamed at what was done by some and what was not done by others.

I am left confused about the nature of man by what he is capable of doing to others and also what man is capable of doing to survive.

I think of what they wore — threads barely put together and wooden shoes — as I stand in the freezing April air, not able to feel my fingers and it’s not even winter.

Of the 6 million Jews killed, I feel obligated to learn more stories ... because how many names do any of us really know? Anne Frank? Who else? Their names are in museums, but if I don’t remember, if we don’t remember their names and their stories, then they’re gone.

I feel blessed that no one I knew, no one of my family, went through these atrocities. Yet, simultaneously, I cannot understand how it happened; I cannot accept the realities, the horrors, the humiliation, the terror.

I am annoyed that more did not fight. I am frustrated that the mindset of the time was that Jews were weak and our people believed it and were brainwashed by the Germans that we deserved what happened to us.

I am frustrated that we did not protest enough when it all began. How did more not fight? How were more not willing to stand up even when waiting to enter the gas chambers or standing in line to be shot?

How did people live meters away from these camps and not do anything to stop what was going on?

Albert Einstein said, “The world is a dangerous place not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on and do nothing.” How true this is. How did they deny knowing what was going on? So many were willing to turn a deaf ear, a blind eye, or were actively indifferent. How?

I stood in front of a grave where 48 children were shot dead into a hole, like animals.

I stood in the field where Treblinka once stood, where some 1 million innocent lives were taken and now only snow covers the ground and stones placed in remembrance lay.

I walked from Auschwitz to Birkenau, a former death march for our brothers. But I was part of the March of the Living, my Israeli flag proudly wrapped around me, alongside thousands of others from all over the world.

I stood on the gravestones of named and unnamed persecuted souls singing “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem.

I watched the faces of survivors, the tears that befell them.

A survivor fell to his knees, entering a room of collected shoes at Auschwitz, grabbing onto the glass case, moaning the names of his brother, his mother, his father … the family that he had lost.

This is what I saw, in part. This is what I felt, in part. It doesn’t begin to explain it all, and I don’t know if I ever will be able to understand what I just went through, to comprehend what really happened. I feel disconnected at times, which is probably a defense mechanism because a part of me does not want to allow myself to feel these emotions, unsure if I can handle the intensity of it all, not wanting to believe that it is real.

But it is real. It did happen. And we must remember.