Tale Of Two Genocides Authors at Birmingham Temple recount the slaughters of Armenians and Jews. • Sinto e t, • ' • :ad io s Hut • N ight! roan • Nouve a PerStia$10Mite 'Brock Band 1 7trnigi;e e:esrezovie ngers • Teen An reminded the audience that Armenia was a religious minority in eastern Turkey that had converted to Christianity 1,700 years ago. wo survivors, two genocides In 1915, while — Jewish and World War I domi- Armenian. But sim- nated world atten- ilarities ended there tion, Turkey began a as Jewish and Armenian pre- senseless slaughter of senters discussed the horrors of the Armenian popu- their particular genocide. lation. Soldiers and The presentations came as political and intellec- part of Birmingham Temple's tual-leaders were Writers Festival 2001 Series, killed; others died in tided "Genocide: Stories of the concentration camps. Survivors." People suffered Mae Derdarian of arrests, confiscation Bloomfield Hills discussed the of property, torture, infamous Armenian genocide public executions, of 1915 from the perspective rapes, death marches, of a later-generation relative of Henry Gleisner starvation and dis- victims and survivors. She ease. More than a recounted those events in her million perished; a 1997 book Vergeen: A Survivor half-million survived, of the Armenian Genocide but were driven from (Atmus Press; $15). their homeland and Henry Gleisner of Oxford is forced to scatter, she a 37-year member of said. Birmingham Temple, whose "Remember, son had the first-ever bar mitz- Turkey was an ally of vah there. He spoke about the Germany," said Jewish genocide — the Derdarian, "so it's Holocaust — as a survivor easy to see the tech- who actually lived through the nique followed by terrible events of World War II. Hider many years His story is described in his later. One big differ- 2000 Holocaust memoir Mae D erdarian ence between this Defiling the Fates: The genocide and the Remarkable Story of a Jew Who Holocaust is that the Survived in Nazi Europe Turkish government, to this day, denies (Alpine 1; $19.95). the genocide, whereas everyone knows Rabbi Sherwin T Wine introduced Germany caused the Holocaust that the speakers in successive weeks to killed six million." audiences of 65-75 people. Gleisner Irked over the denials, Derdarian, a credited Rabbi Wine with urging him passionate member of the local to write his book and suggesting the 'Armenian community, makes the geno- title. Derdarian praised Rabbi Wine cide clear through the eyes of Vergeen and the temple for consistently keeping (Virginia in English) Meghrouni, who the community aware of the genocides, was the daughter of her mother's often labeled as plagues of the 20th friend. The book was privately pub- century. lished by Derdarian's and Virgnia's sons. Derdarian, 79, a native Detroiter It's a gripping story of Vergeen's child- who spent 30 years as public relations hood in Turkey, her planned marriage, director of the local United Way, BILL CARROLL Special to the Jewish News T Lorio Ross Effertainmenkc Call (248) 398-9711 505 S. Lafayette • Royal Oak • www.lorioross.com . Marc J. ohen Photographing People.... 248-543-3637 email-Marcsphotography@mac.com THE URBAN COLLECTION an eclectic collection of kowe ftirnickin5f frow antiqtie to arty ltand Fainted or excertional ftirnickin51 kowe accessories CONSIGNMENTS WANTED CALL HIRSCHEL LEVINE 248.399.9449 22961 WOODWARD AVENUE IN DOWNTOWN FABULOUS FERNDALE Nora offering Complete film and video services specializing in: Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Family Reunions & Outings. Events ,nirl Entes,xaiiiment, Inc. 24156 HAGGERTY ROAD FARMINGTON HILLS, MI .48335 -866-MY EVENT www.eventsandentertainment.com 6/1 2001 59