Maimonides School on Holocaust Remembrance Day

I had the priveledge of speaking to the middle school (6th-8th grades) at the Maimonides School in Brookline yesterday on Holocaust Remembrance Day or "Yom Hashoah."

My presentation included history of the voyage of the St. Louis and also what it was like to research and write a novel on such an important subject. I was so impressed by the students--they were really interested in the subject and asked smart questions. I was also surprised to learn that only a handful knew about the St. Louis. For many people, especially younger generations, the St. Louis really is "a forgotten chapter" of the Holocaust.

Part of my presentation includes a power-point using archival photographs from the actual voyage and it was incredible to see how the kids reacted to the photos. Some of the photos are of kids their own age and I could see them imagining themselves as passengers whose fates hung in the balance.

I also sprinkled in excerpts from my novel and it was exciting to see them connect with the characters. One student asked, "What happens to Thomas?" Of course, I couldn't exactly reveal that but I was glad that he cared about him enough to wonder.

Comprehending the 11 million lives lost in the Holocaust is a daunting task and this one boy's question, about my fictional character no less, made me realize how important it is to find a personal way to connect with history and trauma. It seems as if the best way to remember the people who died is to learn about a select few at a time. To immerse yourself in their stories and imagine yourself in their lives, presented with their choices, or lack of choices.

After my presentation, Mark Blechner, an alum of Maimo and also a father of a senior there, spoke about his family's story during the Holocaust. Mark's father was one of four brothers who all survived, although they were forced to take very different paths to surivival.

Mark's uncle, Oskar Blechner, was a passenger on the St. Louis. He was sent to England and survived the war there in relative safety. Mark's father lived through multiple concentration camps and came to the U.S. after the war. Mark shared some amazing artifacts and stories about his family and perhaps I'll write more about those in another blog. It was an honor to meet him and learn more about his family. You can also visit the Blechner Family website to find out more: www.blechner.com.