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Opinion
OTHER VIEWS
A Brotherly Bond
W
e are three very lucky broth-
ers. We have all survived the
Shoah, which is rare and
wonderful.
There are literally hundreds of thou-
sands of families that completely perished
from the face of the Earth and have no one
left to mourn them. Our family alone lost
more than 50 members, including our par-
ents, Jacob and Rochme Gitel Offen, and
our 15-year-old sister, Miriam.
On Nov. 15-16, my two brothers, Nathan
and Bernard, came to Michigan from dif-
ferent parts of the globe to observe the
66th anniversary of our mother and sis-
ter's premature deaths in the Nazi German
gas chambers in Belzec. Our father, Jacob,
suffered that same fate in Auschwitz.
My brothers and I have always stayed
close, and the tragic loss of our loved ones
brought us even closer. Although we live in
different places, we try to get together as
much as possible.
The three of us also share another bond.
We are all involved in educating the pub-
lic about the horrors perpetrated by the
Nazis. Many are not even aware of what
happened in those dark years. We do this
in conjunction with local schools and
Holocaust centers in our respective corn-
munities.
In addition, the three of
us have now written and
published our memoirs. The
books are similar, but each has
its own story since we were in
different places during those
years.
My book, When Hope
Prevails, published in 2005,
is the personal triumph of a
Holocaust survivor and how
optimism ultimately prevails.
It describes my experiences,
from the Krakow ghetto to
the Plaszow concentration camp (of
Schindler's List fame), Mauthausen and
Gusen, where I was liberated by the U.S.
Army on May 5, 1945.
Also, I am a speaker at the Holocaust
Memorial Center (HMC) in Farmington
Hills, where the book is available. I really
enjoy speaking to students as I address
them as future leaders who must hear
from the last surviving witnesses in order
to try to prevent future Holocausts. It has
been gratifying to receive thousands of
letters from people whose lives I have
touched.
My youngest brother, Bernard, was
10 when the
Nazi armies
entered our city
of Krakow on
Sept. 6,1939.
He is one of
the youngest
survivors of
Bernard, Sam and Nathan Offen
Auschwitz.
He winters in
mous stone quarry in Gusen. At the time
California and spends the other
of liberation, eight months later, only six
six months in Krakow, where
or seven of the original transport had sur-
he guides tourists from all over
vived, including us (they were sending in
the world through the Krakow
replacements daily).
Ghetto, Plaszow concentration
I truly feel that we survived because of
camp and Auschwitz.
our bond as brothers. We were the only
He is the only Jewish survivor that does
siblings there and helped each other men-
this. In addition, he teaches Holocaust
tally and physically.
classes in Polish schools. It is ironic that
Nathan lives on Long Island, N.Y., and
although the Holocaust was perpetrated
winters in Florida. He has just completed
by the Germans on Polish soil, the subject
his book, To Life — A Story Of Survival,
is barely taught in Polish schools.
which is now at the publisher. It, too, will
Bernard also is a filmmaker and has
be available at the HMC.
made several films about the Holocaust.
Three brothers, three stories of survival
His book, My Hometown Concentration
and now three books. We feel truly blessed
Camp, is available at the HMC.
to have each other and treasure the time
My middle brother, Nathan, was with
we spend together, to share our experienc-
me for much of the war. In September
es, both good and bad, with the world. El
1944, in a transport of 300, Nathan and I
were sent from Mauthausen to the infa-
Sam Offen is a West Bloomfield resident.
Having Courageous Conversations
A
s I read the headline of Editor
Robert Sklar's story "Zionists
Battle Detractors" (Nov. 27, page
A25), I was watching the horror unfold-
ing in Mumbai, India. As a Jew, I couldn't
help but feel personally assaulted as I
witnessed the Chabad House under attack
and learned of the murders of Rabbi
Gavriel and Rivki Holtzberg and others.
For me, it brought back in a single flash
4,000 years of Jewish history: our rise to
greatness, persecution, captivity, destruction
of our holy sites, slavery, debasement, expul-
sion, pogroms, the Holocaust and the strug-
gle to create the Jewish homeland, Israel.
I never want to forget my history as a
Jew; but I know holding hate and anger of
either past history or the Mumbai terror-
ists will not bring back the rabbi, his wife
or the hundred others who died. Hate and
anger, no matter how justified, do not create
understanding. Today more than ever, we
need to create understanding. What lies did
someone tell the killers in Mumbai about
A26
December 11 . 2008
Americans, Jews and others that
that Israel should not be
fueled their frustration, anger and
circumvented in discussions
hate? Why did someone tell the
regarding Jews. Israel is part
terrorists those lies?
of our Jewish spiritual essence,
We must be willing to have cou-
heart and soul.
rageous conversations with people
We need to explain that our
we see as others — strangers,
historical connection goes
even our enemies — about the
back to Moses leading the
words that separate us, words that
Jewish people out of slavery.
cause hate and hostility. Zionism
The return of Jews to Israel is
Brenda Naomi
is one of the words we must be
how we experience God. If you
Rosenberg
willing to talk about. I have come
ask me to separate Zionism
Community
to understand how our Jewish
and Judaism, you are asking
View
definition of the word Zionism
me to cut out the heart of who
and the Arab/Christian/Muslim
I am as a Jew.
definition are very different.
We must understand that for many Arabs
In most interfaith dialogue, partici-
"Zionism" invokes thoughts of people steal-
pants agree, "Let's not talk about Israel and
ing their homeland. Many say, "We have
Zionism; that's political and will divide us.
nothing against Jews, just Zionism and
Let's just talk about all the beliefs we have
Zionists."
in common, or do service projects together."
How do we move beyond what might
It is critical not to put a muzzle on
look like insurmountable differences? How
authentic dialogue. Both sides need to
do we engage in dialogue to understand
understand the other. We need to express
the other, and be understood? Not engage
in debate to win. By having discussions
on Israel and Zionism with several of
my interfaith partners, we have achieved
greater mutual understanding, and our
relationships have deepened.
That is why it is important to reach out
to one another as human beings, despite
our personal loses and pains. We do have
different truths and beliefs. We need to
take the time to listen to each others sto-
ries without blaming or criticizing. One
side is not right and one side is not wrong.
It is time to work together to solve our dif-
ferences and create peace through under-
standing, not force.
For civilization to survive, we must work
together to replace ignorance, fear and hate
with understanding. We must engage in the
courageous conversations so no child or
young adult is taught to hate.
Brenda Naomi Rosenberg, executive producer
of the documentary "Reuniting the Children of
Abraham," is a resident of Bloomfield Hills.