Community Views
Editor's Notebook
A Moving Visit,
A Memorable Place
The Story Of
An Unusual Conversion
RABBI ARNOLD SLEUTELBERG SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Last week I had
the privilege of
traveling to Wash-
ington, D.C., in or-
der to view the
United States
Holocaust Memor-
ial Museum. It
_ was a most moving
experience.
The main floor of the exhibit
area includes a major portrayal
of Daniel's story. This exhibit, in
which pages from a young boy's
diary are displayed, takes the vis-
itor through his home, to his bed-
room, to his school and
the use of the latest technology,
videography and sound, the vis-
itor is viscerally transported to
the world of the victims of Nazi
persecution. The museum is ac-
curate to point out that these vic-
tims included more than Jews.
The disabled, Gypsies and ho-
mosexuals were also singled out
for barbaric treatment prior to
their slaughter.
I was pleased to learn that 80
percent of those who tour the
Holocaust Museum are not Jew-
ish. Over 1 1/2 million people
have toured the museum since
the opening a year ago. It is lo-
ing the volumes of research com-
pleted on the Holocaust into eas-
ily accessible reach. I understand
that all of this information will
soon be available on Internet.
At the end of the primary ex-
hibition space is an open theater
in which video testimonials of
survivors are shown. I spent a
good long while listening to the
survivors' stories but was most
moved by the following descrip-
tion by a man now in his mid-70s
who described a scene from his
time at Auschwitz.
One of his camp friends was
davening in the middle of the af-
RNS/REUTERS
Crowds gathered at the museum's opening last year.
synagogue, describes life prior to
the Nazi invasion, and then, edict
by edict, exposes the Nazi bru-
tality which befell him, his fam-
ily and his community. From his
home he is, with his family, relo-
cated to a ghetto; and after shar-
ing what life was like there, he is
again relocated to a concentra-
tion camp. Remarkably, Daniel
survives; and his story, told in
words and phrases understand-
able by the young, is compelling.
Also on the main floor is a pic-
torial essay on the atrocities cur-
rently being perpetrated against
the people of Bosnia-Herzegov-
ina.
The main exhibit begins on the
fourth floor of the museum. With
Arnold Sleutelberg is rabbi of
Congregation Shir Tikvah.
cated next to the Washington
Monument and the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing and very
near the Smithsonian museums,
which made me proud that our
country has made this museum
such a high priority.
For me, the most moving mo-
ment came when, at the end of
the exhibit, I saw a wall dedicat-
ed to the Righteous Gentiles who
saved Jews during the Nazi pe-
riod. I did not know that this wall
existed, so when I checked under
the Netherlands to see if the peo-
ple who saved my mother were
included on the list, I was
brought to tears upon seeing
their names inscribed on the wall.
Part of the new museum is its
Research Institute with state-of-
the-art computer facilities bring-
ternoon. He went up to him and
said, "What are you doing? It's
not morning for Shacharit; it's
not evening for Minchah/Ma'ariv,
what are you doing in the middle
of the afternoon?"
He said, "I am praying."
The survivor continued, "Why
are you praying in this awful
place? How could you possibly be
praying?"
He answered, "I am thanking
God."
"Thanking God? Here is the
lowest place on earth, for this hell
hole you are thanking God? What
could you possibly be thanking
God for?"
He replied, "I am thanking
God that I am not one of these
Nazi persecutors." ❑
I
here is a
young
woman I
know
named Janet.
That's really her
first name, but I
won't use the
last because this
piece is about
her conversion — and the Jew-
ish community has an annoy-
ing habit of tagging on, "She's
a convert, you know," to such
individuals, despite the fact
that Halachah forbids it.
I met Janet several years
ago, and I liked her right away.
She's attractive, bright, inquis-
itive. She was born Christian,
but outside of celebrating
Christmas the family did noth-
ing religious.
When she was 22, Janet be-
gan dating a Jewish man
named David.
David had been raised in a
Conservative home, then his
parents divorced, and after col-
lege David settled in a small
town. With virtually no Jewish
community to support him,
David found himself attending
the obligatory seder at Passover
and Yom Kippur services, but
little more.
David's family members
were fond of Janet, but pointed
out early on in their relation-
ship the fact that Janet was not
Jewish would be an issue.
David told his family that he
wasn't ready to get married for
a long time. "Stop worrying," he
said.
The two dated for several
years, then began living to-
gether. Janet was uncomfort-
able with the arrangement and
wanted to wed; David avoided
the issue, always hemming and
hawing about marriage. He
kept thinking about the whole
religion problem.
I suppose some might have
given in to David's unwilling-
ness to discuss religious ques-
tions. "Why tear up the family
about this?" they might have
said. "And does it really make
a difference if Janet is Jewish
or not?"
In fact, we all know quite
well that it makes a tremen-
dous difference. And in that
way, David's mother, Clara,
was typical.
But unlike many others,
Clara didn't approach her fu-
ture daughter-in-law with the
infamous, "Convert or the
grandchildren won't be Jewish!"
speech.
Instead of making Judaism
sound like a burden, or telling
Janet she better convert but of-
fering no reason why, Clara set
out with this idea in mind: "Let
me show you how wonderful
Judaism is."
She began by inviting Janet
for Shabbat. This meant Janet
and David, who lived two hours
away, would have a long drive.
But at Janet's urging, they
came anyway.
Every Friday night Clara lit
candles, prepared a delicious
meal, and spent uninterrupted
time with friends and family.
Janet was impressed.
"I'd like to try this with
David," she told Clara. "Usi121-
ly David falls into bed early Fri-
day night and I'm in front of the
TV and then we spend the
whole weekend working and we
never have any time together."
Soon after, Janet and David
started spending every Friday
night at home. They lit Shabbat
candles and had a special meal.
Next, Clara introduced Janet
to some of the Jewish holidays.
Her future daughter-in-law was
especially delighted with
Sukkot, when Clara and her
husband built an impressive
sukkah. On Purim, Clara sent
shalach manot to Janet. On Pe-
sach, Janet and David made it
a point to be at Clara's seder.
Janet told Clara she was in-
terested in learning more about
the holidays. That Yom Kippur,
she decided to fast.
Clara's daughter, Rachel,
was a graduate of the Jewish
Theological Seminary. She also
began speaking regularly with
Janet. She talked to her about
mikvah, about how she loved
coming "like a bride" every
month to her husband.
Unlike so many Jews who
find the idea of mikvah ridicu-
lous and old-fashioned, Janet
was intrigued.
It didn't take long for Janet
to begin her own search for Ju-
daism. She decided to study
Hebrew, though because she
worked two jobs the only time
she could do this was at night,
when she got home at 10 p.m.
After six months, Janet knew
enough to read the Siddur.
She also called to ask Clara's
mother about conversion class-
es in her area.
About six months after that,
I received a letter from Janet.
"My studies are going well," she
wrote. "Soon I will go before the
beit din and I know this will be
one of the best decisions I have
ever made. I am really looking
forward to my new Jewish life."
Last month, Janet had her
conversion. Clara decided to
make the event a celebration.
"It's a wonderful gift for some-
one to be able to be a part of the
Jewish world," she said. "Let's
make it an unforgettable day."
CONVERSION page 8