Holocaust Remembrance
by Samantha Peltrau, Phoenix Flyer Co-Layout Editor, Junior at iPreparatory Academy
by Samantha Peltrau, Phoenix Flyer Co-Layout Editor, Junior at iPreparatory Academy
76 years ago, on May 8th, World War II officially came to an end, and the day prior, Nazi Germany surrendered. For more than a decade under Adolf Hitler, the persecution, oppression, exile, torture, and abuse of Jewish people transpired in Europe. For the decades that followed, survivors of this abominable crime tell their stories about their experiences, sacrifices, and the continuing struggles with antisemitism.
Nationally, the United States commemorates the Holocaust on the Days of Remembrance, which was April 8th this year. The Holocaust Memorial Museum spurs leads the country in observances with events and media to honor the occasion starting April 4th. The Greater Miami Jewish federation celebrated Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom Hashoah, on April 19th at the Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach, a historical landmark opened in 1990.
Nationally, the United States commemorates the Holocaust on the Days of Remembrance, which was April 8th this year. The Holocaust Memorial Museum spurs leads the country in observances with events and media to honor the occasion starting April 4th. The Greater Miami Jewish federation celebrated Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom Hashoah, on April 19th at the Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach, a historical landmark opened in 1990.
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Nearly all human beings can talk about some of the horrors of the Holocaust, whether from textbooks, literature, movies, or family told stories. Here at iPrep Academy, we not only study the Holocaust in Freshman World History, but also read Night by Elit Wiesel during the summer before having Ms. Keller in sophomore year. Personally, this experience was life changing. Turning the last page of Night, I was overwhelmed, sorrowful, furious, and disturbed. There was so much intensity in the pain and horror within the mere 144 brief pages of the book.
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I made a promise to myself to never let the suffering of others go unnoticed and to be the voice for those who were silenced.
In 11th Grade AP English Language, Ms. Keller, introduces her Juniors to the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest (EWPEEC) , where students write a paper about an ethical issue, research the topic, and convey the messages they learn about the issue, ethics, and themselves.
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Upon asking Ms. Keller why the Ethics Contest is important to her, enough to include in her AP Language and Composition curriculum every year, she responded, “The EWPEEC, founded by Mr. Carvalho, is a way for the students to exhibit many skills. It is a vehicle for the students to think about something they care about, learn how to research, write about themselves, and reflect on society. This essay gives the students a way to express an ethical concern, one that is important personally. Really, it’s a monumental task each year, and each year I couldn’t be prouder of the results!”
Juniors and Seniors from many Miami-Dade County high schools submit essays about everything from refugee crises to misogyny and gender-based discrimination. I decided to rite about recent events and my experiences concerning police brutality, and, how inadvertently, this strife has shifted to progress for Black America in the 2020 elections. |
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Wiesel’s legacy means a great many things to all of us, but to me, he represents taking action and standing up for others cannot do the same. In the face of devastating inhumanity, Wiesel was determined to survive and do what he could to make sure no one ever forgets the horrors of the Holocaust.
Below is an excerpt from my essay.
“Cornered by lawmakers, judges, police, and racial stereotypes perpetuated by society, the progress of Black America is an incredulous feat-- and complacency is nothing less than death. I didn’t form these conclusions on my own, however. Though I struggled to comprehend the grave nuances and conditions that stemmed from institutional prejudice, studying the Holocaust as a freshman, I saw the world with a new awareness. After leaving the dark cave of naivety and ignorance, I realized that I was disillusioned, and my eyes with which I perceived the world felt as if they weren’t mine. When I turned the last page of Night, with new perspective and empathy, I swore to never be a bystander; I would never allow myself to become accustomed to the suffering of others and the cruelty of the world. Elie Wiesel became my embodiment of integrity. He survived and persisted and testified and passed the torch to me, solidifying my promise to humanity. And, yet three years later, I found myself staring in disbelief at burning buildings, maced and crying children, flying bullets, deafening protests, and solemn marches for the dead-- the summer of 2020 was an explosive procession honoring those fallen to racial violence.”
“Cornered by lawmakers, judges, police, and racial stereotypes perpetuated by society, the progress of Black America is an incredulous feat-- and complacency is nothing less than death. I didn’t form these conclusions on my own, however. Though I struggled to comprehend the grave nuances and conditions that stemmed from institutional prejudice, studying the Holocaust as a freshman, I saw the world with a new awareness. After leaving the dark cave of naivety and ignorance, I realized that I was disillusioned, and my eyes with which I perceived the world felt as if they weren’t mine. When I turned the last page of Night, with new perspective and empathy, I swore to never be a bystander; I would never allow myself to become accustomed to the suffering of others and the cruelty of the world. Elie Wiesel became my embodiment of integrity. He survived and persisted and testified and passed the torch to me, solidifying my promise to humanity. And, yet three years later, I found myself staring in disbelief at burning buildings, maced and crying children, flying bullets, deafening protests, and solemn marches for the dead-- the summer of 2020 was an explosive procession honoring those fallen to racial violence.”
