Oak Ridge Holocaust survivor Mira Kimmelman’s memoir, Echoes from the Holocaust, concludes “Only by remembering the bitter lesson of Hitler’s legacy can we hope it will never be repeated. Teach it, tell it, read it.” Our four-session class will do just that--examine the historical context and phases of the Holocaust, analyze its impact on our modern world, and explore the questions that it raises about democracy, tolerance, antisemitism, bigotry, and hatred.
As conveyed through her memoir, speeches, and interviews, Mira Kimmelman’s Holocaust experiences will provide personal context for our study. Class members should buy or borrow a copy of Echoes from the Holocaust prior to the first class meeting. Excerpts from other survivor memoirs will be offered for participants to reflect on each week.
This class is discussion-based and interactive. Attendance each week is strongly encouraged. Each two-hour session will include a short break, and snacks will be provided. An optional ‘field trip’ to the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge synagogue will be scheduled between the first and second meetings of the class.