Kol hakavod to my colleague Bob Lichtman, our Chief Jewish Learning Officer. After reading and hearing so many positive reviews of the film Denial, he thought it was an important story for our teen leaders to see. So he and his JTEEN team just did it – they sent out an invitation, and ten teens and their parents joined them on two days’ notice to watch the movie together and discuss it. 

“This was a very powerful statement to the young people about how seriously their parents believe the issue of Holocaust denial is,” Bob said, “and I think it had a powerful impact on us all.”

Here is what one of the teens wrote afterward:

I thought the movie was incredibly inspiring. Emotions were running through my head the entire time. It was very chilling to see how some people perceived the entire event, and also chilling to see some of the victims and detailed descriptions of the [gas] chambers….At some points in the movie I wanted to punch a wall, at others cry or laugh. But by the end of the movie I felt great pride in being a Jew. After seeing the hardships our community has faced, it only makes me want to continue to be an involved community member, give back, and make sure we never forget the Holocaust…

Bob shared his idea with colleagues throughout North America. And now I’m sharing it with you.  If you haven’t seen Denial yet, I encourage you to do so.

 

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