Thank you Emily Cherkin for saying it so well. The only thing I'll add is that when Emily and I taught together the reading of "Night", the kids doing projects, as if they were in one of the prisons, Emily playing her violin as one prisoner did while force marching in knee deep snow away from the Russians and most importantly were the times Bronka visited. Bronka asked a simple question. "Would you speak up for me?" I said yes, as did everyone else. We have made a donation The Compassion Collective.
"I have felt deeply troubled for a long time now about the crisis facing Syrian refugees. As a middle school teacher, I taught a unit on the Holocaust, and the stories facing these modern refugees calls to mind many parallels. A former teacher and mentor of mine, and a survivor of Auschwitz, Bronka, would come and share her story with my students, and the most important thing she taught me (and my students) was that hating the Nazis solved nothing. Even after all the unspeakable things that were done to her and her family, she did not hate them. In other words, Love wins. Today, another hero of mine is Brené Brown, and she, with other leaders, have started The Compassion Collective, a plan to offer aid to Syrian refugees by asking all of us to make small (under $25 donations) to show that even in small amounts, we can make a difference and show that Love can triumph over Fear. So today, I am choosing Love. I am choosing not to give into the fear that generates hatred. I am remembering Bronka. If you feel so moved, and would like to learn more, please follow this link and share on your own pages:”
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