Asked to Speak

I've been asked to speak at the Chatham Synagogue, the time to be determined when the program committee meets next week. I am not looking forward to the presentation. Talking about the Holocaust, about my parents' experiences in the Holocaust, is painful. I have avoided Holocaust movies and books. I have several of Elie Weisel's books on my shelves, but only the first few pages of each have been read.



My father dealt with the Holocaust by keeping it locked away for a very long time. In many ways, I have done the same; avoiding movies, reading the bare minimum needed to get by this part of world history in school, avoiding certain services at the synagogue. But his story should be told - a Jew smuggling in weapons to the ghetto, a Jew saving Jews, leading them into the Rudnick Jungle to become Partisans and fight the nazis.



So I will talk, and tell of his tale. It is the least I can do.