6 | JANUARY 19 • 2023
1942 - 2023
Covering and Connecting
Jewish Detroit Every Week
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PURELY COMMENTARY
continued on page 7
I
read with interest the
article by Rabbi Eli
Meyerfeld entitled “A New
Beginning for the Zekelman
Holocaust Center” (DJN Dec.
22, 2022). The comment,
“the darkness
that descended
over Europe
was a result
of everyday
choices made
by ordinary
Germans
and their
collaborators,” I found to
be particularly insightful.
Clearly, preventing that
apparent lack of generally
accepted morality
characteristic of “ordinary
Germans” would potentially
solve the problem. Especially,
in the face of presently rising
antisemitism worldwide,
despite the efforts of
many groups to address
the problem, an approach
that fosters the moral
development of all peoples
could provide an avenue to
lessen the problem.
There must be a way
of creating a safer world
where security systems, law
enforcement and the military
would not be as required as
they are today to maintain life
and limb.
In an abstract of his
publication, Seth Izen
articulated the need for
moral education (Strategies
for Conflict Transformation,
Fall 2011, “Roots of Moral
Courage”): “In the midst of
the Holocaust, courageous
non-Jews saved Jewish
strangers, neighbors and
friends from death. Yet, it
was only decades after the
Holocaust that research begin
into what led ordinary people
to risk their lives to save
others. Over the past 30 years,
researchers have identified
key orientations (extensive
relationships and a sense of
responsibility for others) and
personality traits (empathy,
high moral judgment and
risk-taking) that distinguish
the rescuers from non-
rescuers. The findings
are significant for two
reasons: First, it is internal
traits, rather than external
circumstances, that led people
to rescue Jews. Second, the
findings point to a childhood
development path that is
conducive to fostering these
traits. This research leads to a
significant conclusion: Moral
courage can be taught.”
Samuel and Pearl Oliners’
1989 extensive European
study that involved detailed
interviews of rescuers and
non-rescuers pointed out
the place where child moral
development needs to start.
They found that parents
played important roles both
for rescuers and non-rescuers.
“Significantly more
rescuers, however, perceived
their parents as benevolent
Dr. Gerald H
Katzman
guest column
Prevention: The Key to Minimizing the
Incidence of Antisemitism and Violence