Other items in today’s column include:
*Salute to Class of 2020
*Political bytes
*San Diego County Judaica
*Recommended reading
SAN DIEGO — Residents throughout our county are joining a unique, worldwide virtual memorial to remember the victims of the Holocaust. Sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic from attending this year’s “March of the Living” which brings thousands of Jews to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration complex in Poland to mourn those who were murdered by the Nazis, members of the Jewish community instead are posting their sentiments on line via the Never Means Never website created for the purpose by March of the Living organizers.
Marcia Tatz Wollner, a San Diegan who organizes annual March of the Living trips to the concentration camps and to Israel, expressed the sentiment this way:
“As the Western Region Director of the March of the Living, I feel that the place where I belong on Yom HaShoah is Auschwitz/Birkenau – standing proudly with my head held high with over 10,000 other people wearing blue jackets- and carrying Israeli flags saying- ‘we are here ,’ ‘Never Again,’ ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ and at the same time- with head lowered remembering in whose steps I am walking, knowing that I am privileged to walk out of the gate that says ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ when 1.1 million people were unable to do so.
“As we know, this year is like no other,” Wollner continued. “I will not be in Poland this Yom HaShoah, I will mourn the loss of the over 6 million Jews here in my home. I will not be able to have the blessing of silently marching arm in arm with Holocaust survivors and chaperoning our brave teens who were willing to spend two weeks learning about the horrors of the Holocaust and using all of their senses to try to make some sense over something so senseless. I will be here in San Diego, thinking of those lost, Holocaust survivors whom I have marched with and who are no longer with us, like Lou Dunst, z”l, I will light a candle, say kaddish virtually with others and say Zachor, remember, we must never forget.”
The virtual salute to Holocaust victims was initiated in Israel with President Reuven Rivlin delivering this message, to be placed on a virtual plaque: “75 years after the Holocaust, the terrible tragedy of our people, as antisemitism raises its ugly head once again across the world, the nations of the world must stand together. Together, in the struggle against racism. Together, in the struggle against antisemitism and extremism. Together, for the protection of democratic values and human dignity. This is the mission of our time. This is our challenge. If we can unite around these things, then we can rise to the challenge.”
Another message came from Isaac Herzog, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel: “How fragile is life. We have to be thankful for what we have daily. The March of the Living — which takes place this year via computer and keyboard–reminds us of the fragility of life and puts it in proportion. May the memory of the six million be blessed, engraved in the collective memory of our people, and the world, forever and ever.”
San Diegan Manya Wallenfels wrote: “I was born in Busk, Poland. As a survivor it was an important mission to participate in the March Of The Living with the many thousands of participants from all over the world. To come and see and be a witness for the 6 million Jewish Souls who perished in the horrific Holocaust. As a survivor it was very difficult to revisit my country and stand on the blood soaked soil. We must not forget the victims and we must tell our stories of those evil atrocities. The future generation must make sure that this will Never Never Happen Again.”
Ryan Friedman, the grandson of Manya and Mike Wallenfels, recalled his experience on the 2015 March of the Living traveling with his grandmother. He said it was “a powerful experience on a physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual level. The plaque we left on the train tracks leading into Birkenau spoke to the importance of Jewish ancestral remembrance as well as living a life rooted in love, equity, and strength.”
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Salute to Class of 2020
San Diegans of all faiths are saluting the students of the Class of 2020, who are prevented by the coronavirus from holding graduation ceremonies, attending senior proms and participating in other such ceremonies.
In sympathy for them, people are posting on Facebook their own graduation photos, in some cases from many years ago. Among those posting are some members of the San Diego County Jewish community, including Margaux Dinerman, Roxanne Schindler Katz, and Rand Levin. If you would like to add your high school graduation photo to the San Diego Jewish World collection, simply send it to: editor@sdjewishworld.com *
Political bytes
San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez has been endorsed in the race in the 53rd Congressional District by the Sierra Club. David Hogan, chair of the club in San Diego, commented: “At a time when many politicians are the lesser of two evils, Georgette Gomez is a true champion of good. Very few other candidates for office, let alone Congress so completely embody Sierra Club’s core and interrelated values of protecting nature and upholding environmental justice and equity for people.” Gomez replaced second in the primary election behind Sara Jacobs for the seat from which Susan Davis is retiring.
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San Diego County Judaica
Above, Jack Morgenstern is pictured with a Star of David by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam, who specializes in what some call “kinetic” art, and others refer to as ‘apparent movement” art. Viewed from different angles this Magen David will become more abstract. Agam is known in Israel for his monumental works, including the Dizengoff Fountain in Tel Aviv. At right, Anna Dashevsky Wheitz proudly displays her ketubah.
Recommended reading
*Chris Jennewein, editor of Times of San Diego, takes issue with the Darwinian approach of Conservatives who want to restart America’s economic engine, even if it may cost more lives.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com