Community Chat

[songbird]

I'm Jewish and not even first generation American.  My family did suffer in Italy, A grandparent on each side went on to Bergen Belson Camp, (not a death camp, but a concentration camp.....forced slave labor) . Eventually , they were taken to the death camp, but most of my families escaped to Switzerland.  My parents families eventually returned to Italy. Antisemitism was not as prevalent as it was in Poland, Baltic countries, Ukraine, Hungary, etc. Many Italian Jews that survived did go back home.  I was unusual as I did't come here  as a refugee as so many of other Jewish people.   But I know their stories.  I dislike the term Holocaust.  I prefer to use the Hebrew word for it  Shoah.  Somehow Holocaust is used so much, it actually began to trivialize what actually happened.

Here is a photo of Israeli jets flying over Auschwitz

[Oznell]

Thank you for sharing your family's history on this solemn day marking one of the most egregious passages in world events, @songbird .   Very important.

[Witchy Woman]

@songbird 

I cannot imagine having these memories and events as part of my family history.

My mother's parents arrived here from Scicily looking for a better life.  Their histories had none of the painful experiences you describe, but it is impossible for me to imagine leaving my home as a teenager knowing I might never return.

They took a great leap of faith and loved this country for welcoming them.

[goldensrbest]

Such a  horrible suffering they went through.

[bathina]

Jews are still targeted to this day. May every day be Holocaust rememberence day, lest those who want us to forget or deny have their wishes granted.

[goldensrbest]

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@bathina wrote:
Jews are still targeted to this day. May every day be Holocaust rememberence day, lest those who want us to forget or deny have their wishes granted.

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Yes, and i just do not understand it.

[lmt]

I'm not Jewish so I don't know how it feels to have family that went through these atrocities. It breaks my heart to see the pictures and read the stories. It's so important to remember what happened back then and to never have it happen again.

[VegasBusinessWoman]

During one of our tours in Europe, my father took us to Dachau, in Bavaria.  We're Catholic, but my dad felt it was important for us to see the truth of the Holocaust.  We were all crying and somber by the time we left, but I'm glad my father did this--we learned valuable lessons about the power of hate.  

I'll never forget it, and I passed on what I had learned and seen to my daughter when she was growing up. The ongoing attacks against Jewish communities is an effront to human decency, and every day is a good day to remember that.

[haddon9]

@songbird I'm Jewish too.   I don't know of anyone in my family who endured what yours did. 

However I'm sure there were some relatives who perished at the hands of the Nazis.  My grandparents came over here at the turn of the last century but they all came from large families.  My maternal grandmother was one of 13 siblings and less than half came here.  The rest stayed in Poland. 

I also have relatives that lived in Lithuania & Austria that stayed behind.  Even after reading so many stories about what happened I still can't wrap my mind at what they went through.

Thank you for sharing your family history.  The photo of the Israeli jets flying over Auschwitz is very moving.

[Pipsqueak]

Songbird1...your family history is such an interesting read. Wish that there was someone to relate family stories from and find out what happened on my mother's side. I am only second generation, but first generation family members have been long gone for years so noone to turn to for any background information. (My grandfather, grandmother, mother and aunts were the first generations, all died here in America too many years ago)