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The, Charlotte Jewish News - April 2002 - Page 24 Yom Ha’Shoah Feature A Child of Holocaust Survivors Learns to Cope by Writing Poetry By Janet R. Kirchheimer New York (JTA) — With Yom Hashoah — Holocaust Memorial Day — approaching on April 9, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be both the child of sur vivors and the daughter of immi grants. The Holocaust has had, obvi ously, an enormous impact on my identity and place in the world. To be honest, I have never felt truly American. I grew up in two different worlds: one that didn’t exist any more and one in which I didn’t feel at home. Like many children of immi grants struggling with the culture of America, I grew up in a time when it wasn’t chic to be a hyphen ated American. I remember trying to explain to some non-Jewish friends that my parents were German Jews. They couldn’t understand how one could be both German and Jewish. Even though their parents were Irish or Italian Catholic, they couldn’t grasp the concept. It was not possible to be defined by more than one identity. I struggled with the question of whether I was an American Jew or a Jewish American. This was a serious question in the Jewish com munity during my late teens. How was I going to define my cultural identity? I felt pulled to be American. I felt pulled to make aliyah to Israel. I felt pulled by some Jews who did n’t want to be reminded of the Holocaust or greenhorns, as new comers to the United States were 18708 Nautical Dr., Unit #3, Commodores Landing V ery attractive 4 bedroom, 3 bath waterfront townhome with fabulous view of the lake. Huge greatroom with mirrored wall, built-in bookcases and wet bar opens to wooden deck. Updated white bright kitchen with see-through to great room. Bedroom on main floor could double as an office. Soaring ceiling in master suite with its own balcony. Lease/Purchase available $249,900. Richard Roskind Relocation Specialist Commercial - Residential Broker 704-905-6175 rcroskind@aol.com FREE RELOCATION PACKAGE known. Many times, I felt I was on the outside looking in. There were times when I wanted to jump into the melting pot, to be able to blend in. It was so inviting. I could forget. I could be a plain old American kid, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the porch swing in my overalls and baseball cap. But I couldn’t. Neither could most of my friends who were children of sur vivors. Some of us had parents who told the neighborhood kids that the numbers on their arms were their phone numbers; some of us had parents who told stories of the Holocaust every night over dinner; and some of us had parents who never told us anything. My father won’t wear striped clothing or live in a house sur rounded by a fence. The pai t of me that still feels on the outside is sometimes unnerved by the phrase. “make your selection,” or by words like “camp,” “train” or “affidavit.” Words that are just words for most people resonate differently for me So do places. Sometimes I can’t go into a pizza parlor. It’s the ovens. I can’t push my way onto a crowded subway train or watch my father as he empties the ashes from the gas grill. There are cultural identities that choose us and there are cultural identities that we choose. The Holocaust was an identity that chose me, and I chose to keep it. I have tried to run away, but each time I tried, the stronger the pull was to come back. Finally, I stopped running. I asked my parents to tell me their stories. I have become a poet, writ ing about being the daughter of Holocaust survivors and my fami ly’s stories. As I’ve gotten older. I’ve come to believe that my identity struggle is what makes me a part of American culture. Maybe the melt ing pot of America is really a meld ing pot, and being a part of American culture means that it is possible to have more than one identity. I am Jewish, I am American, I am the daughter of Holocaust sur vivors, I am the daughter of German immigrants — and that is just the beginning. And maybe American culture is changing too; it’s now more acceptable to be all of these things. I can be a hyphenated American with as many hyphens as I choose. ^ Janet R. Kirchheimer is the assistant to the president ofCLAL - The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. A daughter of Holocaust survivors, she is completing a full-length col lection of poems dealing with her extended family and the Holocaust. Tanya By Peter Medvinsky (To the sacred memory of Tanya Marcus and all other known and unknown martyrs and heroes of the Holocaust.) The man who entered my compartment on that train Crossing the winter-gripped Ukraine Looked twice my age, but strong and lough; The kind whose war-time youth was rough; He said '‘Hello," then paused • a bit And took his seat. The train was crawling; we were looking outside: Another town was in sight; A park, a church, a monument To a Resistance fighter hanged... “They honor heroes.” I said. And turned my head. - In acjciition to everything else, we had the audacity to make it all-wheel drive. it's obvious that we. at Jaguar, simply can't ieave weti enough aione. The new Jaguar X-TYPE was a desirable automobile even before we added the standard Traction 4 all-wheel drive. After all, it already had impeccable styling, standard wood and leather trim and speed-sensitive steering. Not to mention the complimentary scheduled maintenance and limited warranty. The new Jaguar X-TYPE is indeed a car with everything; And then some. 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"MSRP excludes tax, title and ticense fees; see retailer for their price. Call 1 -800-4-JAGUAR or visit iaguar.com/us. 62002 Jaguar Cats. The man looked grim, a muscle was twitching on his face; “Young man, I fought in those days; Was shot at; killed men with a knife; Have seen brave people in my life: The most courageous of them all Was a young girl. I first met Tanya in the fall of ‘41; Kiev had just been overrun; I was a soldier, had to hide; The partisans were hard to find; Tanya and her Resistance friends Saved me from death, I wish I had,” the man continued, “the words To tell you what a girl she was; Her gentle beauty to describe; Her magnetism; her love of life... And no photos of her Suivived the war. Then came the day all Jews were ordered to report; Most obeyed. Tanya did not; I saw that eerie march of death: Graybeards, cripples, women, babies... The laughing Nazis machine-gunned Then everyone. I did not see Tanya smile ever since that day; “For us is left only one way,” She said; and soon began the hunt; Forged documents; a small handgun... A one girl army she became After that day. When Tanya struck, her blows stunned the Nazi gang; The ones she killed were of high rank; Gestapo dogs were running wild; They searched for many days and nights; Even SS-men from Berlin Were flown in. She was betrayed. We tried to save her. but we failed. We later learned that in the jail They tortured her beyond belief; Death came to her as a relief. She was just twenty. Not a word They got from her. After the war I met some high-ups and, in vain. Urged them to honor Tanya's name; They made it as plain as they could: “Jewish last names don't sound good;” This is the world that we live in — Cruel and mean." The man got off the train and vanished in the night; But not before leaving behind, With me; his last look, long and hard; The memories that I must guard; The fire that has not ceased burning In my heart. Copyright (c) 2002 by Peter Medvinsky; All rights reserved E-mail Peter Medvinsky at pmweml @angelfire.coni Anti-Defamation League Seeks Volunteers for “Confronting Anti- Semitism” Confronting Anti-Semitism is a two-hour interactive session for students and adults. The Program goal is to facilitate discussion within the Jewish community about issues of anti-Semitism and provide effective techniques for response. Video vignettes and case studies of typical incidents trigger this communication and are fol lowed by a discussion led by an experienced facilitator. Participants are encouraged to share personal reactions and possi ble responses to these incidents. ADL’s Washington, DC Regional Office will be conduct ing a Train-the-Trainer program this spring or early summer for a new group of individuals who will be trained to become facilitators for Confronting Anti-Semitism. The Train-the-Trainer program consists of one eight-hour session. During this time participants will have an opportunity to experience a Confronting Anti-Semitism workshop as well as co-facilitate portions of the agenda in front of the group. Participants must attend the session in its entirety to be (Coniimied on page 26)
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